An Ohio community in Columbus’ Hilltop neighborhood again are devastated after 15-year-old rising soccer star was shot and killed Friday night.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has identified the 15-year-old boy who was fatally shot in Franklin Township Friday night.
Deputies were called to the 4400 block of Sherwood Forest North in Franklin Township just before 10:30 p.m. where they found 15-year-old Issa Jeylani.
Jeylani was taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Zerqa Abid, executive director of the nonprofit MY Project USA in the Hilltop neighborhood said Jeylani was a “very happy kid.”
Issa was part of the Hilltop Tiger Soccer Club and Abid described him as a soccer “champion” and one of the best on the team. She said he was playing soccer with some of his teammates that night.
While Abid said Saturday the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office hadn’t determined a motive in the shooting, she attributed the attack to gang violence. She said that while the teens were playing, a gang approached them looking for one of the teammates.
An argument broke out and the gang pulled out their weapons, she said.She’s now asking police and city leaders for protection for the team. She worries that anyone who may come forward could face repercussions without police protection.
In an update Saturday afternoon, the sheriff’s office said a second person was shot but is expected to be OK. A third victim was also hurt but was not struck by gunfire.
The sheriff’s office did not release further information on possible suspects but said no one is in custody at this time.
Anyone with information on this shooting is asked to call the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau at 614-525-3351.
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