YAKIMA – A large purple banner drapes the fence of the Yakima Online School Building. The banner was set up by the Yakima School District as a tribute to their student Shawn Tolbert, who died on Tuesday. Now covered in flowers, stuffed toys and other mementos, the banner will be given to his family over the weekend.
Tolbert’s principal, Lois Menard, said the district wanted to do something to celebrate Shawn’s life.
“We needed a place for families to come, the community to come, to celebrate Shawn, to leave a loving memory for him and this is a place where people can go,” Menard said.
The memorial will still be up tomorrow from 8a.m. to 6p.m. at 1120 South 18th Street for people who would like to pay their respects.
Shawn Tolbert, 16, was killed in the Eisenhower parking lot Tuesday after his cousin accidently shot him. According to Yakima Police, Tolbert and his 15-year-old cousin were visiting Ike. They got into an altercation with a group of people in the parking lot. Tolbert’s cousin then pulled out a gun and shot seven times into the group of nine people. He accidently hit Tolbert and injured an 18-year-old Ike student.
The 18-year-old was taken to the hospital for treatment and is now back home with his family.
Tolbert, unfortunately, died.
According to police, Tolbert’s father knew his cousin carried a gun on him.
Captain Jay Seely with YPD said this is the fifth homicide in the city of Yakima this year. On average, the city of Yakima sees about one homicide a month. Captain Seely said he can’t explain the increase in violence lately, other than to say we have a gang problem.
“Talk with your kids, guns, bullets, they’re final. That’s it there’s not coming back. It’s not a video game out here,” Captain Seely said. “If you know that your kid is carrying a gun and in a gang you have an obligation to intercede on their behalf.”
Tolbert’s cousin is facing second degree murder charges and multiple counts of assault. The prosecutor said he expects to file charges with the court on Friday.
