On a festive Christmas weekend, the life of 13-year-old Keon Young, a Black or African American male, was tragically cut short in a senseless act of violence in North Las Vegas, Nevada. The incident occurred on the evening of December 23, 2023, at an apartment complex on Fountain Falls Way, near Cheyenne Avenue and Simmons Street, where Keon was attending a family cookout.
He was a vibrant and beloved young man, described by his family as having a heart that was "too pure."
That Saturday evening, as his grandfather grilled burgers, Keon walked toward the parking lot to greet his father who was arriving for a visit. It was then that a car reportedly approached the area. An individual from the vehicle and another person who jumped over a wall into the complex began shooting. In the chaos that ensued, Keon was struck by gunfire. He was rushed to the University Medical Center's trauma center, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries. His family says that even after being shot, the brave young boy managed to stand up and tell his mother he had been hit.
Keon was a young man with dreams and a bright future. His mother shared that he had aspirations of playing in the NBA and buying her a house, and at one point, he also wanted to become a police officer. Standing at an impressive 6'1", he was a special needs teen who was not involved in any trouble. His family emphasized that he was not the kind of child to be mixed up in a shooting. He had just made his eighth-grade basketball team and was looking forward to his 14th birthday in January. A GoFundMe page set up by his family paints a picture of a boy who loved basketball, dinosaurs, Spider-Man, and Godzilla, and had a curious mind for science and the planets.
The North Las Vegas Police Department is investigating the shooting. Keon's mother was reportedly asked to come to the police station to review some video footage, and it is believed that some neighbors may have provided surveillance video to the authorities. As of the latest available online reports, the investigation into Keon Young's death is ongoing, and no arrests have been made, nor have any suspects been publicly identified. The community and his grieving family held a vigil to honor his memory, releasing balloons and remembering a life taken far too soon.
