Teenage boy fatally shot during pool party in Torrance
A 17-year-old boy was killed during a shooting at a pool party in Torrance Wednesday night.
The Torrance Police Department said they received calls of "shots fired" just before 9 p.m. on the 23000 block of Huber Avenue.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found shell casings and the unidentified victim who had been shot and was unresponsive. They tried life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Family members of the man told CBS Los Angeles that he had been shot during a celebratory end-of-college pool party. The crowd had gathered at the home after renting out a pool on the property for the celebration via the Swimply app.
Witnesses told CBS News Los Angeles that there were as many as six shots fired as crowds began to leave the home. Those initial shots were followed up by at least four rounds of return fire, they said.
Security camera footage from home across the street shows dozens of people rushing to the leave the property after the shooting occurred.
The man who owns the home said that though there were only supposed to be about 20 people at the party, nearly 200 showed up. He says that he didn't know the victim, and that he was actually there to pick up his brother from the house.
He told CBS News Los Angeles reporters that he was standing on the driveway with the teen when a white SUV drove around the corner and shots rang out. He says that someone at the back of he house fired back moments later, and when he looked over he saw that the boy was struck by gunfire. The teen has been identified as Chyler Paton.
Swimply shared a statement on the incident upon request, which read:
"We are aware of the situation. We have reached out to the host to support in every way we can while the investigation is ongoing. Swimply maintains a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence, misconduct, and violations of our community guidelines."
Police encourage any witnesses who have information about the shooting to contact Torrance police at (310) 328-3456.
