A teen is left dead after being shot in the head Monday afternoon in Rockford. The shooting happened in broad daylight. Neighbors who heard the sounds didn’t even realize they heard gun shots, but those gun shots ended the life of a 15 year old boy.
“I was in the kitchen. I heard two gun shots and I didn’t know where it came from.” said Willie Taylor, who was in her kitchen at the time of the shooting.
The gun shots came from the intersection of Kent and Ferguson Streets. Police found a 15 year old boy, laying in the street, dead from a gun shot wound to the head. Willie Taylor lives a few houses from that corner and says she’s still shaken by the killing.
“That could have been my brother, or one of my nephews, or a friend of mine. I wouldn’t want nobody to end their life like that.” said Taylor. “At first I thought it was like some fire crackers and then my husband said ‘No baby, that’s gun shots,’ but we didn’t know where it came from.”
Dozens of police officers crowded the scene. They put up caution tape around every corner, blocking off the intersection for hours. They spent hours going door to door, talking to neighbors trying to find answers. Police even setup a temporary home base in a neighboring church, to put the pieces together and get out of the cold.
“St. Anthony’s was kind enough to allow us to go inside and use it like a little mini head quarters for now.” said Rockford Police Department Assistant Deputy Andre Brass.
Authorities believe a car confronted the teen while he was walking with friends and then opened fire, killing the 15 year old. The circumstances of the shooting are not yet known and police are looking to the public to help them fill in the blanks.
“We’re asking for assistance. If anybody saw anything or if anyone’s driving by, or if anybody heard anything please contact the Rockford Police Department with any information you have.” said Assistant Deputy Chief Brass.
Police do know the teen’s identity but are waiting to notify the family before releasing it.
