Feb 25, 2008 9:50 am US/Eastern
Pa. Man Shoots Teen During Snowball Fight
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) ―
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A small memorial adorns the front porch of a home where 16-year-old Tavin Rutledge was shot during a snowball fight.
CBS
A Philadelphia teenager celebrating his 16th birthday is fighting for his life after being shot over an errant snowball.
Authorities said the teen, identified as Tavin Rutledge, of Feltonville, was shot in the head at point-blank range while playing with neighborhood friends. Feltonville is about 20 miles southwest of Philadelphia.
Witnesses say the shooting was sparked from a casual snowball fight amongst children.
A friend of Rutledge's, who was also involved in the playful snowball fight, said the shooting happened after a wayward snowball accidentally struck a nearby neighbor.
Police said the adult male became enraged and left the scene, returning moments later with a gun.
Witnesses say Rutledge's effort to apologize to the man went unnoticed and the man pulled out a gun and began firing.
Family and friends celebrating Rutledge's birthday heard gunshots and found him bleeding on the front porch.
"We ran outside and saw Tavin laying on the step," said the victim's friend Mercedes Lebron. "When I picked him up, smoke started coming out of his head.… He still was breathing and we told him keep breathing, calm down."
Rutledge was rushed to Temple University hospital where he was listed in critical condition on life-support.
Everyone who knows Rutledge - described as a nice, well-liked boy - is trying to cope with the senseless shooting.
"It was just a snowball fight," said neighbor Catherine Briggs.
"They were outside having fun with snowballs and instead of hitting him back with a snowball, he came back and shot him with a gun," said neighbor Monica Albelo.
Philadelphia police detectives said they are actively searching for the gunman who they believe is lives on the same block as Rutledge.
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