Teen Shot During Snowball Fight Dies

When I was a youngster, there was always that one kid, that one asshole, who put ice or rocks inside their snowballs to make them hurt so much more. We would yell at the whoever the prick was, send him home, punch him in the face. However, we never shot him. Cause it's just a snowball. Just a FUCKING snowball.

A Philadelphia teenager celebrating his 16th birthday was shot and killed over an errant snowball.

And as a species we are getting worse and worse. Maybe we should just let Global Warming do its thing. Seriously, is there any really, really good reasons for our species to continue? Think hard about that.

Authorities said the Feltonville teen, identified as Tavin Rutledge Wilson, was shot in the head at point-blank range while playing with neighborhood friends in the 4800 block of D Street on Sunday afternoon.

So now it's not safe to play in the snow anymore. Great. We all might as well be living in bomb shelters.

Witnesses say the shooting was sparked from a casual snowball fight amongst children.

I just don't know what else to say about this.

A friend of Tavin's, who was also involved in the playful snowball fight, said the shooting happened after a wayward snowball accidentally struck a nearby neighbor.

Police said the adult male became enraged and left the scene, returning moments later with a gun.

Witnesses say Tavin's effort to apologize to the man went unnoticed and the man pulled out a gun and began firing.

Family and friends celebrating Tavin's birthday heard gunshots and found him bleeding on the front porch.

"We ran outside and saw Tavin laying on the step," said the victim's friend Mercedes Lebron. "When I picked him up, smoke stared coming out of his head … He still was breathing and we told him keep breathing, calm down."

Tavin was rushed to Temple University hospital where he was taken off life-support. At 11:30 a.m. Monday, with his family by his side, Tavin passed away.

Everyone who knew Tavin, described as a well-liked boy, is trying to cope with the senseless shooting. "It was just a snowball fight," said neighbor Catherine Briggs.

Tavin's family is trying to remain strong in the wake of the senseless tragedy.

"He didn't get a chance to get married, he didn't get a chance to have children," Tavin's father Keith said.

Philadelphia police detectives said they are actively searching for the gunman who they believe is a resident of the same neighborhood.

I say when you find him, maybe it's not that important he goes to trial. Maybe he struggles a bit too much, maybe the world is better off not having to pay for this individual to rot in prison. Maybe.