‘He Was Too Good for This World’ Family Mourns Tragic Loss of 3-Year-Old Boy Killed at Birthday Party
Yancy’s grandpa thought he was “the smartest little boy in the world” when he was born.
A drive-by shooting at a child’s birthday party at Riverland Park & Pool in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday took the life of 3-year-old Rylo.
This 48-year-old man said, “Rylo was one of a kind.” He was only three years old, but he was so smart you wouldn’t believe it. He talked when he was 9 months old.
Around 4:30 p.m., Rylo was at a birthday party for a relative that was styled after Sesame Street when gunfire broke out. Since then, police have found one of the cars involved but have not yet arrested anyone. Witnesses said it was a crazy and desperate scene, and frantic 911 calls from people pleading for help showed how scared people were.
After another case of gun violence involving a child in Fort Lauderdale, Rylo’s death happened. Tiarra Holliday, 28, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Fort Lauderdale earlier this July. Her 2-year-old son was badly hurt.
A press conference was held Wednesday morning at Riverland Park & Pool, 950 SW 27th Ave., by Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis. He asked anyone with knowledge about either case to come forward.
Trantalis told the crowd, “If we don’t stand together, we will all fail.”
Bill Schultz, the chief of police in Fort Lauderdale, said that they are following all leads and are asking for help from the public. If you can help make an arrest, Broward Crimestoppers will pay you $10,000.
“Right now, everything is possible and open because all the investigations are still going on,” he said. “Please don’t be afraid to come forward if you know anything.”
The funeral for Rylo is being planned by his family, and Pough said that his company, Forts Services, will help pay for it.
Pough said, “He brought peace and happiness to a home that was turned upside down.” It’s still him who brings us together. He was too good for this world, God knew.
“He was the cutest baby ever.”