Officer charged in death of black teen

EAST PITTSBURGH, Pa. — A white police officer was charged Wednesday with homicide in the shooting of an unarmed black teenager who was hit in the back while fleeing a traffic stop, a death that has fueled daily protests around Pittsburgh.

Prosecutors cited officer Michael Rosfeld’s inconsistent statements about whether he saw a gun in the teen’s hand.

The East Pittsburgh officer first told investigators the teen turned his hand toward him when he ran from the car, and the officer “saw something dark he perceived as a gun,” according to the criminal complaint.

During a second recap of last week’s shooting, Rosfeld told investigators he did not see a gun, and he was not sure if the teen’s arm was pointed at him when he fired at 17-year-old Antwon Rose Jr.

The 30-year-old officer had been sworn in just hours before the June 19 shooting after working at the police department for a couple weeks. He turned himself in and was released on $250,000 bond.

Criminal homicide is a broad category that includes manslaughter and murder. Pennsylvania prosecutors typically specify what subsection of homicide they will pursue later in the case.

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said his office planned to ask a jury to consider the highest charge of first-degree murder. He argued against releasing Rosfeld on bail.