Police officer charged with manslaughter in connection with teenager's shooting death

AMMAN — A police officer has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of a teenager during a police chase in the capital’s Wadi Seer neighbourhood in November, official sources said.

Ibrahim Nader Masaeed was walking on the street when a Preventive Security Department patrol approached him and asked for his identification card on November 20.

At the time, police officials said that the 16-year-old claimed that he had no identification card and tried to attack the officers, then started running, which prompted the patrol to chase him.

The officers fired a warning shot, but “when he refused to stop, the officers fired two shots at him, one of which struck him,” according to police officials.

“The police department finished its interrogation and managed to pinpoint the officer who is suspected of shooting the youth and referred him to the police court,” Basel Tarawneh, the government coordinator on human rights, told The Jordan Times.

Tarawneh has been following up with the police since the incident occurred.

“We appreciate the cooperation of the police for providing us with details regarding this incident and other issues related to the human rights of individuals,” he said.

Former deputy Lutfi Derbani, a relative of the victim, said the government assured the family that they will "preserve our rights and fulfil our demands”.

“He is not a criminal and did not harm anyone. He was only a child and did not deserve to be killed in this manner,” Derbani told The Jordan Times last month. Public Security Department Spokesperson Major Amer Sartawi declined to elaborate on the incident or reveal if the police officer in question has been detained.

“I have no comment and the case is being handled by the judiciary,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.