A Texas community is mourning after a high school student was killed in a late-night shooting just hours before Easter Sunday.
Police in Lancaster responded to reports of gunfire around 1 a.m. on April 12 in the 600 block of Hilton Drive. When officers arrived, they found a 16-year-old boy suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but later died from his injuries.
The victim was identified as Myers Anthony Jr., a sophomore and junior varsity football player at Lancaster High School. His sudden death has left classmates, teammates, and neighbors shaken.
Authorities say the shooting appears to be an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the public. So far, police have not released any information about a suspect as the homicide investigation continues.
One nearby resident, Patrick McDonald, said the quiet neighborhood was rocked by the sound of gunfire near Meadowcreek Park.
“I hear gunshots and I’m like, ‘What is going on?’” he said, recalling how he stepped outside to find multiple police cars flooding the area.
At first, McDonald thought it might be fireworks or a medical emergency involving a neighbor. But the reality hit hard when his teenage son told him the victim was a student at his school.
“I had tears in my eyes,” McDonald said. “My kid is in the 11th grade, this kid is in the 10th grade, same school. Now this kid is not alive—that’s heartbreaking.”