The 16-year-old Arkansas teen fatally shot by police Tuesday has been identified as Aries Clark.
Now, family members of the teenager are searching for answers after he was gunned down by a Marion Police Department officer outside of the East Arkansas Youth Services shelter for juveniles. Aries, a West Memphis High School student, was reportedly at the center because he was “disruptive” at home, his mother told WMC Action News 5.
“I never expected not to see my son again. I had saw him that Thursday, and we were trying to figure out how we were going to do therapy to get help for him,” Aries’ mother, Vicky Clark said.
But that doesn’t address why an officer killed him, or why police were called to the center at all. Shortly after their arrival at 7 p.m., Aries was shot. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
Few details surrounding the encounter were released, though resident Janerrica Stringfellow told WMC the teen was engaged in an argument with someone before he was shot.
From WMC:
“They was trying to say that he was trying to get back there some how,” Stringfellow said. Stringfellow said Clark was in an argument with someone and was about to return to the shelter to shoot that person. “I guess the police stopped him in his tracks and caught him before he made it to the center,” Stringfellow said.
It is unconfirmed if the teen had a weapon. The two officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave.
This is a developing story.