In Urbandale, Iowa, on the night of December 9, 2018, a young man's life was tragically cut short. Anthony Ryan Taylor, a 20-year-old Caucasian male, was at a friend's home on 70th Street when the incident occurred. Emergency services were called to the residence around 11:18 p.m. following a report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they found that Anthony had sustained a gunshot wound.
Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial investigation into the shooting revealed a somber picture of the events that transpired. According to Urbandale detectives, Anthony's death was the result of an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound. He had unintentionally discharged the firearm while at the residence. In the aftermath of the tragic event, police made an arrest in connection with the circumstances surrounding the shooting. A 19-year-old from the neighboring community of Johnston, Kyle McGhghy, was taken into custody.
The charges brought against McGhghy were not for causing the death itself, but were related to the weapon involved. He faced charges of carrying weapons, possession of marijuana, and providing a firearm to an individual under the legal age of 21. Anthony was remembered as a graduate of Johnston High School, an avid skateboarder, and an artist with a warm smile who was quick to make friends.
