ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. -- In a tragic incident that has left a community in mourning on Christmas Eve, an 18-year-old young man lost his life and another teenager was injured following a shooting on Rouse Drive in Escambia County on Monday night. Initially, deputies reported that the second victim had also been shot, but it was later clarified that the injury was due to road rash.
The deceased, an 18-year-old and young father, has been identified as Geary Lynch. Friends, family, and the broader community are grieving his loss. Escambia County Schools Superintendent Keith Leonard spoke with WEAR News, struggling to hold back tears as he addressed the tragedy. "You want to be able to tell everybody today is a Merry Christmas," Leonard said. "Unfortunately, those are not the words that are going to be coming out of my mouth when I call a couple of school principals today."
Leonard confirmed that Lynch was an Escambia County student who was murdered on Monday night. "We try to convey conflict resolution day in and day out, peer to peer mediation," Leonard said. "Nothing is more valuable than your life. And to take someone else's life is, in my opinion, unconscionable."
The shooting occurred just after 6 p.m. Deputies reported that Lynch was shot in the head following an argument. The 16-year-old victim was hospitalized with road rash injuries. A neighbor, who chose to remain anonymous, described hearing the gunshots, saying, "Boom boom... We come outside and there's a person laying in the middle of the road."
Chloe Martin, a friend of Lynch who met him back in middle school, described him as "super smart, kind, and comforting." She added, "He was a super sweet guy, everyone loved him. Geary was a pretty good guy to talk to. He was there if you needed advice; he was a very straightforward person."
Superintendent Leonard did not specify which schools the students attended but assured that resources are available for anyone grieving. "It doesn't matter if it's one of those 178 days of school, or if it's Christmas Eve, if they need something we're here for them," Leonard said. "We love them, we care about them. And in our community, we've got to begin taking care of one another."
As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting, and authorities believe the suspects drove away from the scene. The community remains on edge as they await further developments in the investigation and seek justice for the young life lost too soon.
