The Pittsburg police officer who fatally shot 17-year-old Antwon Rose three times in the back earlier this month has finally been charged.
According to NBC News, officer Michael Rosfeld turned himself in on Wednesday after being charged with one count of homicide. Rosfeld shot the teen after he and another passenger fled from a car stopped by police. Allegheny County Police say they were on the hunt for the car in connection with an earlier shooting. Cellphone footage, according to different media accounts, shows Rosfeld firing his gun at Rose as he is fleeing the scene. The shots hit him in the back.
The arrest comes two days after Rose’s body was laid to rest. Hundreds gathered at Woodland Hills Intermediate School in East Pittsburgh for the funeral.
According to East Pittsburgh Mayor Louis Payne, Rosfeld was a recent hire who had been sworn in just hours before the shooting. Payne emphasized that the Rosfeld was not a rookie, WPIX reports, and he was placed on administrative leave soon after the shooting.
“If he has a son, I pray his heart never has to hurt the way mine does,” said Rose’s mother, Michelle Kenney to ABC News. “But I think he should pay for taking my son’s life.”
“He murdered my son in cold blood,” she added.
The shooting sparked protests within East Pittsburgh with the crowds calling for justice. The protests briefly halted for Rose’s funeral on Monday.
Rosfeld’s bail was set at $250,000, according to court documents. He was released from custody after posting unsecured bond, according to WPXI.
His next court date is scheduled for July 6.