Source: 11 Alive / Boykins family
A The Georgia family wants answers after their 12-year-old son was killed by police on Friday during a car chase on Highway 92 in Paulding County.
Leden Boykins, 12, was in the car with a neighbor and his 14-year-old son who was being driven home when police stopped the driver for speeding. The driver escaped from the scene of the crime with Leden and the other child in the vehicle. Police were chasing the car that led the chase down Highway 92.
The driver called 911 and told the dispatcher that he was scared for his life and that he had children in his car, but he refused to stop.
He continued to beg the dispatcher for help. “I’m afraid. I’m afraid for my life,” he said.
“You have to get rid of them immediately,” said the driver, “because I’m afraid I have my children with me now.”
The soldiers then PIT forced the car off the road, causing the vehicle to spiral out of control and tip over. Leden Boykins was killed instantly.
In a statement to 11 Alive, Boykins’ parents say the driver should never have put these young children in this situation and deserve to be held responsible for his actions, but also want to know why the police felt the need to bring a car two small children to turn around in there.
Under Georgia’s law, the police are required to evaluate all variables before performing a PIT maneuver. This includes the safety of children who are nearby during the incident.
A PIT maneuver is a technique used by law enforcement agencies to force a fleeing vehicle into an abrupt 180 degree turn, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and stop. The technology can have unpredictable consequences and often lead to vehicles tipping over. According to the Washington Post, 30 people have died in PIT maneuvers since 2016 and hundreds have been injured, including some police officers.
Georgia authorities arrested the driver and charged him with murder and DUI.
An investigation into the officials who used the PIT maneuver is ongoing and Boykins’ parents hope that everyone involved in his tragic death will be held accountable.
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