Surveillance Captures Moments Before 13-Year-Old Dirt Bike Rider Killed While Boynton Beach Officer Tried Making Traffic Stop
BOYNTON BEACH (CBSMiami) – New details have surfaced days after a 13-year-old boy riding a dirt bike was killed while police tried to make a traffic stop.
Sunday afternoon, surveillance at Chevron gas station captured 13-year-old Stanley Davis Jr. filling up his dirt bike when he noticed a police car turning to the same station.
There's no audio on the video and it's unknown what led up to what happened next.
The boy kicks the bike into gear, first heading west out of frame. He takes a U-turn off camera and then comes back into frame, turning north with a police car close behind, navigating through traffic with its lights on. About three blocks later, Davis was dead.
His father, Stanley Davis Sr., is heartbroken.
"Great kid, honor roll kid, great football player, great big brother, loving son. Just all around perfect kid. Never have an issue with him," Davis Sr. said.
Police say they were trying to pull the teen over for driving recklessly when he went down.
"At this point in the preliminary investigation, I've not seen any evidence or heard any witness testimony that states that the officer's vehicle came in contact with the dirt bike," said Boynton Beach Police Chief Michael Gregory.
The officer has been placed on paid leave, which is standard when something like this happens.
The Florida Highway Patrol is leading the investigation.
In the hours after the crash, Boynton Beach Mayor Steven B. Grant was near the scene, talking to saddened and angry community members.
"We should not blame the police department for the actions of an individual officer. However, the city and the police are responsible," Grant said.
He understands why people in the city he leads would say race played a role.
"You know, the situation that created this, you know, it didn't happen just yesterday. This is an aspect of how the city has treated parts of the community for decades before I was even mayor. And so the city is trying to understand and work with the community to get a result, resolution so that it is safer for everyone," Grant said.
Boynton Beach PD say it has released all evidence to the Florida Highway Patrol, but that there is no dash cam video available because the officer's cruiser did not have a camera.