New York City police apologized for mistakenly accusing a teenager of a fatal shooting at a Brooklyn parade, then failing to retract the false allegation for nearly five months, despite knowing it was incorrect.

After the NYPD stated that 15-year-old Camden Lee was a person of interest in a mass shooting, it became aware that he was no longer a suspect in the case. Instead of informing the press and public, the NYPD knowingly withheld the information despite pleas from the Lee family.

In its updated statement, the police department said the 15-year-old teen was a “person of interest” in the shooting, which remains unsolved,