In the winter of 2018, a new chapter was just beginning for 17-year-old Zachary Rollen Parker, a Caucasian male who had recently re-enrolled at Omaha North High Magnet School. Having spent time at Boys Town, he was in the process of reconnecting with old friends and settling into a familiar, yet new, routine. This promising new start, however, was tragically cut short on the evening of February 25, 2018.
On that Sunday, Parker went to the area of 25th Street and Crown Point Avenue in
north Omaha with the intention of selling marijuana to another teenager. The situation took an unexpected and fatal turn when a 14-year-old middle school student, who was a stranger to Parker, showed up. A sense of unease reportedly came over Parker, and in the moments that followed, the younger boy produced a gun.
Shots were fired, and when police responded to the scene around 5 p.m., they found two wounded teenagers. Both were transported to the Nebraska Medical Center for treatment. While the other teen, 17-year-old Devon Darnell, was treated for his injuries and released, Zachary Parker was pronounced dead at the hospital.
In the wake of the shooting, an investigation led to the arrest of the 14-year-old boy who had met with Parker. The young suspect was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, and the case was moved to adult court for prosecution.
