The identity of a 13-year-old boy who was found dead in a Federal Way park on Nov. 3 has been identified by Shoreline Public Schools.
The victim is Avril Brown Jr. (A.J.), an eighth grade student at Einstein Middle School in Shoreline, according to the school district. Shoreline is north of Seattle.
“Our entire school community is deeply saddened by the loss of AJ and the heartbreak his family and friends are experiencing. We join them in this grief and heartbreak,” said Einstein Middle School Principal Nyla Fritz in a letter to families.
A GoFundMe page created by a close family friend for A.J. states he was just a few days away from his 14th birthday.
“It’s hard to believe this happened, A.J. touched the hearts of so many and he will be deeply missed,” the page states. “… he was way too young and had so much to look forward to, so much potential.”
So far, $12,863 has been raised toward the $15,000 goal to assist A.J.’s mother with funeral costs.
At about 7:30 a.m. Nov. 3, Federal Way Police responded to the 37200 block of 20th Avenue South in Federal Way after a resident reported finding a body in the park.
Several neighbors reported hearing gunfire around 3:30-4 a.m., but a responding officer did not find anything on scene at the time.
Hours later, police canvassed the site and launched a homicide investigation when they found his body.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet identified the boy or his cause of death. Federal Way Police said the boy is 13 years old and appears to have been shot.
Detectives from Federal Way’s Criminal Investigations Section are conducting the investigation, said Cmdr. Tracy Grossnickle.
Anyone with information about this incident should contact the Federal Way Police Department at 253-835-2121.
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