On January 28, 2023, 18-year-old Rowan Parham of Soquel, California, was fatally shot at a party in Boulder Creek. The incident occurred around 10:00 p.m. on the 1000 block of Brimblecom Road, where Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputies responded to multiple reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they found Parham suffering from a gunshot wound; despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses reported that several uninvited individuals arrived at the party, including a 16-year-old male. At one point, Parham placed his hand on the suspect's shoulder, prompting the suspect to turn around and shoot him. The assailant then fled the scene on a dirt bike. The following day, January 29, deputies arrested the juvenile suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed due to his age.
Parham was a former student of Soquel High School and was attending Oasis High School, a program of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. He was remembered by friends and family as an extraordinarily loyal friend with a quick wit, an infectious laugh, and a smile that always lit up the room. In the wake of this tragedy, the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District provided additional counseling support to students, acknowledging that many were grieving the loss of Parham and the impact of the incident on the community.
A GoFundMe campaign was established to assist Parham's family with funeral expenses and a celebration of life. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting and has urged anyone with information to come forward.
