MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — A 16-year-old was killed in a shooting following what police say was a fight involving a group of juveniles. Tuesday, we’re learning more about the teen and hearing from local leaders who say this tragedy is a reminder that the community must do more to support young people.
Though Raising Cane’s on Mayfield Road is back open and operating, the impact of what happened there still lingers.
Around 10 p.m. Sunday, Mayfield Heights police responded to a shooting at the restaurant that claimed the life of 16-year-old Phillip Longino Jr., a sophomore at Ginn Academy.
"He was very energetic—a good kid,” said Ted Ginn, the director and founder of Ginn Academy. “He was always teasing about his last name. You know its greatness in Longino.”
Ginn knew Longino and described the loss as heartbreaking.
"You want to know, what did I miss? Couldn't win that. You know, I wanted to win that I wanted to take that undeveloped mind and change it,” said Ginn.
Police say the shooting followed a fight between a group of juveniles—something Ginn says points to a larger issue and the need for stronger guidance for young people.
"This probably was nothing, nothing. I'm just being honest with you, the cell phone is raising our kids,” Ginn continued, “It goes back once again to teaching, teaching them about violence, teaching them about life. They don't value life like that.”
Ginn believes raising children isn’t just the responsibility of parents, but of everyone involved in the community.
"It’s not going to stop until we make it stop. We have to do better as leaders and teachers. It's a job. We have to do more service work with our kids. We can't put it all on parents,” said Ginn.
Police say a 14-year-old was taken into custody and an 18-year-old was detained following the shooting.
The 14-year-old was charged and arraigned Tuesday in connection with the shooting, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office.
RELATED: 14-year-old facing charges in connection to shooting at Raising Cane's that left 1 dead
"We have to do something different. We can't just make procedures to lock them up and kill them. What can we do to save them? That's what I want. You have to get out of your comfort zone and get some boots on the ground, and let's start saving our children,” said Ginn.
As of now, the shooting remains under investigation.
