A 13-year-old Florida boy died during an attempted traffic stop after losing control of his dirt bike, in what Boynton Beach police are calling an officer-involved traffic homicide, per WPBF.
The boy, who was identified by family as Stanley Davis Jr., hit a median curb, was ejected from his bike, and then hit a median sign before ultimately dying on the scene, according to Florida Highway Patrol. The boy was driving erratically, per Boynton Beach police, which led to the traffic stop.
Surveillance video shows Davis Jr. filling up his bike with gas and paying for it before driving away while police enter the area.
“Our hearts go out to the family members of this young person, and they can trust that we and our law enforcement partners will be conducting a series of thorough and meticulous investigations into the circumstances of what occurred,” Boynton Beach police Chief Michael Gregory said in a statement.
The Florida Highway Patrol will be leading an investigation into the incident, along with the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Boynton Beach Police Department, which is conducting an internal investigation to see if the officer involved committed any violations. NBC Miami added that the officer is going on administrative leave pending the investigation.
“At this point in the preliminary investigation, I’ve not seen any evidence or heard any witness testimony that states that the officer’s vehicle came in contact with the dirt bike,” Gregory added. “That has been mentioned. It has also been mentioned that there was some additional, secondary-type crash that occurred at the scene. We’ve got no evidence that that took place as well.”
The boy’s uncle, Demetrick Gross, said a police officer was chasing his nephew before the crash, telling WPBF that the 13-year-old “was loved by the community.” Video from the station shows an officer driving behind the boy.
