The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was was killed when police in Boynton Beach, Florida, attempted to a traffic stop on his dirt bike is demanding answers.
Police say Stanley “SJ” Davis III was observed driving “recklessly” on his off-road motorcycle on Boynton Beach Boulevard on Boxing Day.
When an officer tried to pull him over, police say the teenager drove took off down the North Federal Highway and crash soon afterwards.
Surveillance footage from a Chevron gas station obtained by ABC News shows SJ Davis purchasing petrol and then driving off as a police vehicle trails behind him.
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His mother Shannon Thompson questioned why the officer pursued her son.
“He could have questioned him in a safe space when he parked to get gas,” she told ABC News.
“You waited and chased him until you chased him to his death.”
Family said SJ had received the dirt bike as a Christmas present the day before the fatal crash.
Its With A Heavy Heart That We Are Tragically & Painfully Forced To Say Goodbye To One Of Our Own 13yr Old Stanley Davis Jr A Child With A Illuminating Smile & A Beautiful Happy Spirit That Shined Everywhere He Went SJ You Were A Becan Of Joy SJ Will Be Truly Be Missed By All RIP pic.twitter.com/LOPDV2SbZh
— Boynton Beach Bulldogs (@boynton_beach) December 27, 2021
SJ Davis had only just turned 13 on 5 December, and was passionate about football, his mother said.
Teammates from the Boynton Beach Bulldogs football team paid tribute to his “illuminating smile and a beautiful happy spirit that shined everywhere he went”.
In a statement, the Boynton Beach Police Department Chief Michael G. Gregory said the officer involved had been placed on administrative leave.
“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,” Mr Gregory said.
The Florida Highway Patrol is leading an investigation into the crash, while Boynton Beach PD is conducting an internal investigation.
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Mr Gregory said he had not seen any evidence to suggest the officer’s vehicle had come into contact with the teenager’s bike.
Under Florida law, a dirt bike operator must be over 16 years old.