The family of Aderrien Murry, an 11-year-old boy who was shot by a police officer after calling for help, has stated that he has been discharged from the hospital.
The incident occurred in Mississippi when police responded to a domestic disturbance call made by the boy and allegedly shot him in the chest, as reported by his mother.
After being shot, the boy reportedly asked his mother, “What did I do?” The officer involved has been placed on leave pending an investigation into the shooting, which is being conducted by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
Following treatment for a collapsed lung, fractured ribs, and a lacerated liver at a local hospital, the boy is now recovering at home. His mother, Nakala Murry, has demanded that the officer be fired and charged.
During a press conference held on Monday outside Indianola City Hall, Nakala Murry explained that the father of one of her other children had arrived at their house early on Saturday morning and was behaving aggressively, leading her to instruct her son to call the police.
When the Indianola officer arrived, Ms Murry later told CNN, he “had his gun drawn at the front door” and asked everyone inside to exit.
As her son turned the corner of the hallway, the officer opened fire, striking Aderrien in the chest, she said.
“His words were: ‘Why did he shoot me? What did I do?’ and he started crying,” Ms Murry said. “This cannot keep happening. This is not OK.”
She said she had covered her son’s wound with her hand and applied pressure, blood pooling beneath her palm. The officer also assisted her in rendering aid, she said, until medics arrived.
Aderrien was rushed to the University of Mississippi Medical Centre, where he was given a chest tube and placed on a ventilator.
Ms Murry and her family’s lawyer, Carlos Moore, have called on officials to take further action. Mr Moore said the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave.
“What are you waiting on? Someone to actually die?” Mr Moore said during the Monday press conference.
According to him, the officer allegedly involved had been named the department’s “best officer”.
“If he’s your best, Indianola, you need a clean house from top to bottom,” he said.
At a sit-in protest outside City Hall on Thursday, Ms Murry, Mr Moore and about a dozen protesters said they were “demanding justice”.
At a rally planned for Saturday, the group will demand the firing of the officer and the release of body-camera footage from the incident.
Police have so far denied the footage request due to the ongoing investigation, according to Mr Moore.
The Indianola Police Department told BBC News it is not currently commenting on the case.
Over the weekend, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said it is “currently assessing this critical incident and gathering evidence”, and will submit its findings to the state attorney general’s office.