Broken-hearted great grandpa baffled about fatal drive-by shooting of 3-year old in Fort Lauderdale
FORT LAUDERDALE - For the first time, we are hearing from a loved one after 3-year-old Rylo Yancy was shot and killed late Sunday afternoon while attending another child's birthday party in Fort Lauderdale.
Alfred Yancy, 80, the boy's great-grandfather tells CBS News Miami that he is baffled and troubled by what happened in a pavilion with a playground at Riverland Park at 950 S.W. 27th Ave. at around 4:30 Sunday afternoon.
Fort Lauderdale police say the child lost his life in a drive-by shooting with the suspects taking off.
Yancy said, "It is very hard to see that he was the only one to get shot while coming down a slide. It's just hard to fathom and hard to think how this could happen. He was a great kid. He was a sweet kid."
"I was in Tampa with my daughter when we were called. It was a shock. It was a shock. We loved him. We loved him."
Fort Lauderdale police say they have recovered one of the vehicles involved in the shooting and they are actively working on this case. It's not known why this happened or who may have been the target of the drive-by shooting. So far there has been no arrest.
"I am just sick of all these killings going on. It is just ridiculous. The world we live in is a dangerous world when kids can't even go to a party. We have guns in everyone's pocket," he said.
Yancy called for tougher gun laws.
"Until they get their act together and get guns out of kids hands, we are always going to have it," he said.
Yancy hopes someone will come forward and help police.
"If they know anything, I hope they turn them in," he said. "I hope they turn them in. I know it would mean a lot to me and to my grandson, the father of the child."
Fort Lauderdale Police say anyone with information about this incident or the suspects should contact Detective Juan Rodriguez at (954) 828-6673 or the homicide tip line at (954) 828-6677 or remain anonymous by calling Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS (8477).
There is a reward of up to $5,000.
At 10:30 am on Wednesday at Riverland Park, officials will hold a news conference to talk about this incident and recent shootings in Fort Lauderdale. Rylo Yancy's loved ones say they may attend that news conference.
The scheduled speakers include Mayor Dean J. Trantalis, Police Chief Bill Schultz and District 3 Commissioner Pamela Beasley-Pittman.