Tributes are pouring in for a Pierce County teenager who was shot and killed during a robbery while walking his girlfriend home.
Braylon Diaz, 17, was killed Sunday evening after being approached by suspects in a vehicle on Sheridan Avenue South in Parkland, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
“I just watched my son die on the concrete from a gunshot wound to the chest,” Braylon’s mother, Chelsea Diaz, wrote in a heartbreaking Facebook post. “They murdered my boy.”
Family members remembered Braylon as a kindhearted teenager who loved sports, adored his girlfriend, and had “so much to look forward to.”
‘They Were Going To Bake Cookies’
According to investigators, Braylon had been walking with his girlfriend near the tennis courts at Washington High School before heading through a residential area in Parkland.
Diaz said the couple had simply been walking to his girlfriend’s house Sunday night. “They were walking to her house to go bake cookies,” she wrote.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said a vehicle approached the couple around 7:15 p.m. near the 10200 block of Sheridan Avenue South.
The suspects allegedly called Braylon over, robbed him of jewelry, then shot him before fleeing the area.
Deputies responding to the scene found the teen suffering from a gunshot wound in the roadway after multiple 911 callers reported a person down.
First responders attempted lifesaving measures, but Braylon died at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
Chelsea Diaz said Braylon’s girlfriend witnessed the shooting. “Poor baby witnessed the whole thing,” she wrote.
‘The Sweetest Kid’
Loved ones have flooded social media with tributes describing Braylon as compassionate, athletic, and deeply loved.
“He was genuinely the sweetest kid,” family member Jennifer Luna wrote online. “We’re all devastated by this loss.”
Diaz described her son as a football player, soccer player, loving brother, uncle, and “the best boyfriend” to his girlfriend, Katelyn. “He was an amazing kid.”
Mercedes Jameson said the killing has shaken the community.
“My heart is heavy and I’m still in shock how someone could have taken Braylon’s life,” she wrote. “He was the kindest soul and had such a bright light.”
Detectives Searching For Video, Tips
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said detectives are continuing to investigate and are asking residents and businesses to review surveillance footage that may help identify the suspects or vehicle involved.
Investigators are specifically seeking video recorded between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday within roughly a five-mile radius of the shooting scene.
Detectives believe the suspects may have traveled through areas surrounding:
- Washington High School
- Ainsworth Avenue South
- Sheridan Avenue South
No suspect descriptions had been released as of Monday evening.
Family members are also pleading for anyone with information to come forward.
“If anyone has information about the incident, please come forward,” a GoFundMe organized for the family states.
“The investigation is still active, and any help in finding answers is greatly appreciated.”
Family Raising Funds For Funeral Expenses
A GoFundMe created by Luna says donations will help cover funeral expenses and support the family as they navigate the aftermath of Braylon’s death.
“Braylon’s life was cut short far too soon,” the fundraiser states. “His loss has left a deep void in the hearts of everyone who knew him.”
Those interested in supporting the Diaz family can donate via GoFundMe here.
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