PHOENIX (CNN/KNXV) — Arizona police shot and killed a 15-year-old boy Wednesday.
Officers confirm it happened while they were investigating a stolen vehicle case in Glendale.
They say the teen told them there was a gun inside, but once they removed him from the vehicle -- a struggle ensued.
That’s when they say he reached toward the area where they believe a gun was located and fired on him.
The injured teen was taken to a hospital where he later died.
Family and friends gathered at an apartment complex, setting up a memorial in the back where their loved one lost his life.
What started as a stolen car investigation quickly escalated into much more.
"He's a baby, he's a little boy, he's 15 years old what could be my reaction is being hurt? My family is hurt," shared the victim's aunt Melinda Martinez Bazan.
Her nephew is accused of being the driver behind the wheel of a stolen car officers were tracking.
"Because he's not perfect didn't give them the right to do that, to do that to him," she said.
Police say officers surrounded the stolen car at an apartment complex.
The 15-year-old in the driver's seat allegedly told officers there was a gun inside.
When they tried to take him into custody police say there was a struggle and the teen allegedly reached back into the vehicle where the gun was located.
"That was when one of the other detectives shot at him," Glendale Police Department Randy Stewart explained. "He actually stopped for a moment and then continued back into towards the handgun again when the officer did another round shot some rounds at him."
The 15-year-old was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Police confirm a gun was found in the car.
There was a 16-year-old in the passenger seat at the time who was also taken into custody.
A father living with his teen at the complex spoke with us after finding out what happened.
“I feel that the parents need to raise their kids better, you know?" expressed the father. "If you’re not watching your kids then then they can be hanging around all kinds of other people and that’s what’s going to happen.”
The family of the 15-year-old iseft with many questions.
"Maybe he was wrong, I don't know the whole story yet. I haven't gotten to it yet but, I know he was only 15 years old and he told them that he had a gun," Bazan said. "I think that's enough for the cop to say okay he didn't get no credit for telling the truth, he lost his life.”
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