A three-year-old boy was fatally shot during a birthday party at Riverland Park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday afternoon, July 21, 2024. Rylo Yancy was playing on a slide when he was struck by gunfire in a drive-by shooting around 4:30 p.m.
Several frantic 911 calls flooded emergency services, including one from a distraught woman who screamed, “I need an ambulance at Riverland Park. A baby just got shot.” Emergency responders found Yancy with life-threatening injuries and quickly transported him to Broward Health Medical Center, where he later died.
The tragedy occurred during a birthday party for a one-year-old, leaving the park still adorned with festive decorations as city workers began repairs. Fort Lauderdale Police marked off a bullet hole in the slide along with 25 other evidence markings. While one vehicle involved has been identified, no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. The motive behind the shooting remains unknown.
The young boy’s mother, expressed her anguish in an Instagram post: “How could you (expletive) kill a child who was just sliding and being a kid? My soul and heart light up for you… You were not an average three-year-old… incredibly SMART and unique. To know you is to recognize you were one of a kind.”
His father shared a photo on Instagram, of him snuggling with his son, writing, “Damn You Don’t Know How Much You Hurt Me Son, I Love You Forever Rest Easy I Promise We Gone Paint The City Red Tonight.”
Family members and neighbors are struggling to come to terms with the senseless act of violence. Yancy’s aunt, Quinniesha Isaac, expressed her devastation on Instagram: “I can’t function without my auney [Yancy]; I can’t sleep or eat. Why, God?” His great-grandfather, Al Yancy, overcome with grief, was seen confronting police before collapsing into a police officer’s arms at the park.
Residents have also shared their sorrow. Millie Charles, who lives near Riverland Park, said, “My heart has been broken to see this and to hear about a child, an innocent child, who knows nothing about nothing, he’s out there enjoying the birthday party and then all the sudden this happens, and I feel so bad for the parents.”
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, Police Chief Bill Schultz, and City Commissioner Pamela Beasley Pittman have condemned the violence and called for unity and action to prevent such tragedies.
Despite the recovery of one vehicle used in the shooting, the perpetrators remain at large. Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward and have offered a $10,000 reward through Broward Crime Stoppers for tips leading to an arrest.
In the past five weeks, Fort Lauderdale has seen a troubling increase in gun violence, with 11 victims of three shootings, including two toddlers. The community is calling for stronger gun control measures to prevent further loss of innocent lives.
The investigation remains active, and Fort Lauderdale Police have pledged to follow every lead. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Juan Rodriguez at 954-828-6673.