Aderrien Murry: 11-year-old shot by Mississippi police after making emergency call to help his mother

An 11-year-old boy was shot by police in Mississippi after he called for officers to attend his home for a domestic disturbance. 

Aderrien Murry was shot in the chest shortly after officers arrived at his home to respond to the call. His mother Nakala Murry said that her son had asked “what did I do?” after he was shot in the chest. 

The young boy was taken to hospital to be treated for a collapsed lung, fractured ribs and a lacerated liver. He has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.

The officer involved with the shooting has since been placed on leave. The incident is being investigated by The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

Ms Murry, along with her family lawyer Carlos Moore were joined by around a dozen protesters outside Indianola City Hall on Thursday 25 May for a sit-in protest to “demand justice” for the child. A larger rally is due to take place on Saturday 27 May to demand action, such as the firing of the officer and the release of his body-cam footage from the incident. 

The shooting took place on the same week as the third anniversary of the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed by police officers in Minneapolis in 2020. His death sparked mass protests against police brutality and the treatment of black Americans by law enforcement.

What happened to Aderrien Murry? 

Ms Murry told a press conference on Monday 22 May that she had instructed her son to call the police after her former partner arrived at their address in Indianola, Mississippi and started acting angrily. Aderrien then proceeded to phone the police department for help. 

An officer responded to the call shortly after, with Ms Murry saying that the officer who attended the address “had his gun drawn at the front door”. He then asked everyone in the address to exit immediately. 

Aderrien was shot as he rounded a corner of the hallway to leave. He was hit in the chest. 

Ms Murry said that she covered her son’s wound with her hand with the officer who fired the shot also assisting in first aid until medics arrived. Aderrien repeatedly asked his mother: “Why did he shoot me? What did I do?”

The 11-year-old was then taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Centre, where he was put on a ventilator and received treatment. 

Sgt Greg Capers, the officer in attendance, has since been suspended from his post without pay. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is "currently assessing this critical incident and gathering evidence" and will report the findings of their investigation to the state attorney general’s office.