CINCINNATI — A teenager is dead after police found him shot Saturday night in the West End.
According to the Cincinnati Police Department, officers responded to the 700 block of Hopkins Street around 11:15 p.m. Saturday for reports of a shooting. When they arrived on scene, officers found 16-year-old Eric Shields suffering from a gunshot wound. First responders took Shields to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Shields' family said the teen loved to build things and had dreams of becoming an engineer.
"He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Felita Thomas, Shields' cousin. "He was a good boy. He had goals and his life was cut short because of what somebody else did. Somebody that didn't care about anybody else. And (Eric) cared about people, and I think that's so unfair."
Shields was a newly enrolled student at DePaul Cristo Rey High School; the school said he'd transferred to the school and was ready to start his junior year.
The school issued a statement Sunday, following his death:
"With great sadness, the DePaul Cristo Rey community confirms that one of our new students, Eric, died on Saturday evening, August 17...Eric had transferred to DPCR and was preparing to start his junior year. As a new incoming student he participated in our summer orientation program and had been on campus for the past two weeks. During this short time with us, he made a positive impression with our staff as quiet, kind, fun-loving and as a young man with a desire to succeed. DePaul Cristo Rey will open our school from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. today, Sunday August 18, for students and families in need of support. At 3:30 we will have a short prayer service to lift up his family, friends and our community in prayer as we mourn the loss of this young man."
Officers have not released any suspect information.
Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to please call the Cincinnati Police Department's Homicide Unit at 513-352-3542.
