Teen Killed In Somerville Home Identified As Malden High Student
SOMERVILLE (CBS) -- The teen shot and killed Tuesday evening has been identified as a student at Malden High School.
The Middlesex District Attorney's office identified the 16-year-old as Tenzin Kunkhyen.
The shooting happened inside a home on Farragut Avenue around 5 p.m. Neighbors reported a woman screaming shortly before that.
Kunkhyen was found with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was rushed to Mount Auburn Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
No arrests have yet been made, and it's still not clear what led to the gunfire.
A friend who identified himself as James Mac said in a message to WBZ-TV's Anna Meiler that Kunkhyen was one of the funniest and most caring people he knew.
"He looked out for his friends and seemed to lighten up the atmosphere whenever his presence was there," he wrote. "I wasn't too close to him but we had a class together and always said hi and made jokes to each other. Even then, it hit me hard when I heard about his passing."
Malden Mayor Gary Christenson and School Superintendent John Oteri issued a joint statement Wednesday, and said grief counselors would be available at the high school.
"On behalf of the City of Malden and the Malden Public Schools, we are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of one of our students. What makes this particularly painful was that he was just a teenager," their statement read. "We offer our support and deepest condolences to the family during this difficult time."
Kunkhyen attended Somerville High his freshman year, then Malden High for his sophomore year and was about to start his junior year there Wednesday.
Grief counselors will also be available at Somerville High.
The Middlesex District Attorney's office said the shooting was not random and that Kunkhyen was inside the home with people he knew.
But the knowledge that it wasn't random didn't leave neighbors any less nervous.
"I've never felt unsafe here before, so it's kind of surprising that this happened," one woman told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe.
"It's unnerving," said another woman who lives in the neighborhood. "It's just unnerving to have something so violent ... This has never happened before in the eight years we've lived here."
A friend of Kunkhyen came out of the house, emotional and upset.
"That's somebody that I talked to, that I chilled with," that friend said. "We're all finding out everything right now, too. I just found out yesterday, and I was with him the day before."
Nickolas Concepcion was a childhood friend.
"He would talk to everybody, he wouldn't let anybody put their head down at all. He would be there for everybody," said Concepcion.
Parents and students alike described Kunkhyen as a polite and good kid.
One teen who showed up at the scene said he went to high school with Kunkhyen.
"Always shook my hand in the hallways," he said. "Played basketball in middle school together. I always thought he was a good guy ... It just made me think about how it can all go away."
"I've seen him not too long ago," one man said of Kunkhyen. "He's a friendly kid."
Some neighbors told WBZ-TV off camera that they have had issues with the residents at the home in the past.
"Yeah, it makes me a little nervous, I hope they catch whoever did it and kind of figure out why this happened," said one area resident.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports
