A 15-year-old boy died of smoke inhalation during a SWAT raid in New Mexico, police have said.
A preliminary autopsy report revealed the cause of death for Brett Rosenau, the Albuquerque Police Department announced on Sunday.
Brett was in a home in the southeastern parts of the city when the SWAT raid took place on Wednesday evening.
“In our effort to track down and arrest a violent criminal, a young person tragically lost his life,” APD Chief Harold Medina said in a statement.
“I know many people in our community are hurting right now, and [we] appreciate everyone’s patience while the incident is thoroughly investigated,” he added. “If any of our actions inadvertently contributed to his death, we will take steps to ensure this never happens again.”
Police were attempting to detain Qiaunt Kelley, 27, after he violated probation on charges of armed carjacking and vehicle theft.
Police also wanted to question Kelley in connection to a shooting on 26 June that led to a death, and another shooting involving an officer that took place on 5 May, as well as another case of armed robbery that was being investigated by local police and federal authorities, the department said in its statement.
Following a standoff that lasted hours, officers noticed that smoke was coming from inside the home. The SWAT team had previously used a drone to drop powder irritants into the building to get Mr Kelley and Brett to come outside.
Kelley exited the home as firefighters got to the scene. The 27-year-old had burn injuries and was taken to hospital where he was treated and later arrested and sent to jail.
Brett was found dead inside the home, police said.
The Albuquerque Journal reported that residents protested the police’s use of force on Thursday, holding signs saying “Black Lives Matter”.
Mayor Tim Keller said in the statement on Sunday that “no matter what the circumstances were, a boy’s life was tragically cut short, something no person or parent should experience”.
“Every single life is valuable and the loss of anyone is devastating to the family and the community. We share our condolences to all who know him and loved him,” he added.
Chief Medina said the devices deployed to send irritants into the home could have led to the fire.
“APD uses devices that are designed for indoor use to minimize the likelihood of igniting a fire, and no fires have been reported over the many years they have been used in Albuquerque,” the press release stated.
The Albuquerque Journal reported that the fire destroyed the home, displaced the owners, and also led to the death of a dog.
Several agencies will take part in a criminal investigation into the raid to discover if any policies were violated. The police department said that the results of the probe will be sent to the office of the District Attorney.
Police body camera footage and images captured by drone will be released to the public.
“Though all facts and circumstances have not come out, I do know that Brett was not involved in the SWAT situation where he succumbed to his injuries of severe burns and smoke inhalation,” Amanda Lopez wrote on a fundraising page.
“I was not mentally, physically, emotionally, [or] financially prepared for the phone call I received this morning. As a mother, you never imagine that you would be attending your child’s funeral,” she added.
