Funeral for Antwon Rose, Teen Killed By Pittsburg Cops, Held Today

The funeral for Antwon Rose II, the unarmed teen shot by police last week near Pittsburgh, was held Monday, hours after an interview aired in which Antwon's mother accused police of killing her son "in cold blood."

East Pittsburgh police Officer Michael Rosfeld shot Antwon, 17, three times as he fled a car stopped by police. 

 

Since his death, protesters have marched in downtown Pittsburgh demanding accountability. Several groups shut down highways and intersections across the city during several days of protest.

 

"Three shots in the back. How you justify that?" protesters chanted. 

 

The protests were put on hold Monday to allow the family to mourn. Antwon's friends and family members attended his funeral at Woodland Hills Intermediate School in Swissvale, where Antwon once was enrolled as a student.

 

The funeral program featured three pictures of Antwon smiling over the years, as well as a poem in which he wrote, "I see mothers bury their sons. I want my mom to never feel that pain." 

 

An obituary described him as a well-traveled teen who took honors classes and loved to play basketball, surf and skate. 

 

"Antwon was a beautiful, bright, charming and generous person and volunteered his time at and services to the (The Free Store) in Braddock," the program says. 

 

 

BACKGROUND ON THE STORY 

 

Antwon was a passenger in the car, which authorities suspected of being involved in a shooting earlier in the day on June 19, Allegheny County police said. 

 

The officer ordered the driver out of the car and onto the ground, police said. Antwon and another passenger "bolted" from the vehicle, and the East Pittsburgh officer opened fire, striking the teenager, police said. 

 

Antwon had an empty magazine clip in his pocket, according to Mike Manko, spokesman for the Allegheny County district attorney. Pressed for more information, officials declined to elaborate. 

 

The unidentified 23-year-old who captured video of the shooting appeared in silhouette on ABC to describe what she saw that day. 

 

Rosfeld had been sworn in to the East Pittsburgh police force just hours before the shooting, though he'd worked with other local departments for seven years, CNN affiliate WPXI reported. 

 

"He murdered my son in cold blood. If he has a son, I pray his heart never has to hurt the way mine does," Kenney told ABC, adding that she believes Rosfeld should pay for taking her son's life. 

 

Rosfeld has been placed on administrative leave, police said.