Stray bullet kills 12-year-old playing in yard on Thanksgiving, California family says

A stray bullet that passed through a fence killed a 12-year-old boy playing in his San Diego backyard on Thanksgiving, his family told news outlets.

The boy died at a hospital after being shot in the 9:30 p.m. incident Thursday, Nov. 25, in the city’s Skyline neighborhood, a San Diego Police Department news release said.

Family members identified him as Angel Gallegos, KSWB reported.

“We were supposed to be celebrating Thanksgiving like everyone else but this incident changed all our lives forever,” Jose Casillas, the boy’s uncle, told KNSD. “Our feeling about Thanksgiving will never be the same.”

Angel was playing with his cousins in the backyard at a family celebration when his brother heard a boom and saw him fall over, according to the station.

Police, who did not confirm the family’s report of a stray bullet, said they are continuing to investigate, according to police.

“The safest place you think your children could be at, we have an enclosed backyard where we thought nothing could happen to them,” Casillas told KNSD.

On a GoFundMe established to assist the family, Angel was described as “born happy, joyful and full of life.”

Police ask that anyone with information on the shooting contact detectives at at 619-531-2293 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

This story was originally published November 28, 2021 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Stray bullet kills 12-year-old playing in yard on Thanksgiving, California family says."