Iranian Teen Shot Dead During Police Pursuit

Iranian police forces have shot dead a 14-year-old boy in the northeastern city of Mashhad, local media report.

The boy was fatally hit by a bullet while sitting with other passengers in the back seat of a car that was being pursued by police, the Khorasan newspaper said on February 28.

The car was reportedly being driven by a teenager without a license.

Khorasan reported that police first fired warning shots into the air and then tried to hit the tires of the car, but a bullet hit the rear window instead, resulting in the teenager’s death.

Unregulated and illegal shootings by Iranian security forces have resulted in numerous deaths and injuries, including children.

Earlier this year, parliament passed a controversial amendment that expanded the scope of the use of weapons by law enforcement and other security forces, raising concerns among many Iranians.