11-year-old boy was shot and killed at friend’s birthday party, police say

An 11-year-old boy was shot and killed during a party in Cleveland, Ohio last Saturday, according to police, who are investigating the fatal shooting.

Tyshaun Taylor was at a friend’s birthday party in an East Side apartment Saturday night when he was shot in the chest around 9:30 p.m., said Cleveland police Det. David Gallagher.

Two other children brought Taylor out onto the street to flag down help, where he was eventually treated by the fire department and emergency medical services. He was transferred to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to Gallagher.

The parent who was supervising the party left to go to a nearby store and found out about the shooting when she returned, said Gallagher, adding that no suspects have been identified and no arrests made in the ongoing investigation.

The incident appears to be an accident and the result of the teenagers playing a game with a gun, said Cleveland City Councilman Basheer Jones, who serves the area where the party happened.

A spokesman for East Cleveland City Schools, the district where Taylor attended school, said they were “deeply saddened” by his passing.

“He was an exceptional student with a promising future,” said Donshon Wilson, the spokesman.

Jones said he met with Taylor’s family and that the mother was sobbing the whole time about “losing her baby.” The community is giving as much support as possible to help bring peace to the family, he said. He also brought up Taylor’s death at a city council meeting on Monday, highlighting the importance of bringing forth gun legislation and handling related issues in the community.

“We, as elected officials, can’t wait. We have to adhere to a moral code,” said Jones. “Whatever it is, we have to do the best we can. We have to hold ourselves and the community accountable.”