Roxborough High School to mark 1 year since mass shooting death of Nicolas Elizalde
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A moment of silence for Nicolas Elizalde was held Wednesday morning at Roxborough High School one year after the teen was killed during a mass shooting while he was leaving a football scrimmage.
One year later, Dayron Burney Thorne, the person who Philadelphia Police believe pulled the trigger, is still not in custody.
Elizalde was just 14 years old when he was killed while leaving a football scrimmage at Roxborough High School.
Police said he and other players were ambushed by five shooters. Elizalde is not believed to be the intended target.
"The violence in our city needs to change and just the compassion and are we have for one another and holding each other accountable also," Kristin Williams-Smalley said.
In the afternoon, the football team planted flower bulbs outside the high school at a plaque honoring Elizalde's life.
A moment of silence was held today at Roxborough High School 1-year after several football players were ambushed following a scrimmage. 14yo Nicolas Elizalde was killed. His teammates also planted flowers during the school’s day of peace. @CBSPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/YIr8KvsfKx
— Ryan Hughes (@HughesCBS3) September 27, 2023
Roxborough Football Coach Marc Skinner said his players made it through the past year working as a team.
"We stand by each other, we talk to each other, we meet with each other," Skinner said.
"In keeping the safety of our kids on the forefront, I think that is paramount that is what we focus on today," Williams-Smalley said.
Principal Williams-Smalley said several security changes have been made since the shooting last year.
With the help of state funding, the school installed 287 new cameras that now cover the entire campus and are monitored by a school safety officer.
"We have additional safety staff that we hired for after school events," Williams-Smalley said. "We have a great partnership with the 5th district, and they are on hand and patrol."
"A lot of the players were actually present the day that it happened, some people were really affected by it," Skinner said.
There's a $50,000 reward for information that leads to Burney Thorne's arrest and conviction.
Burney Thorne was 17 years old at the time of the shooting.
Four suspects have been arrested and charged for their involvement in the deadly shooting.
The charges include murder and aggravated assault.