A 17-year-old boy has been shot and killed during a robbery in Parkland, and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office is appealing to the public for surveillance footage and information as investigators work to identify and locate the suspects.
Braylon Daniel Diaz, a junior at Washington High School, was walking with his girlfriend on Sheridan Avenue on Sunday evening when a vehicle approached and someone inside called him over. The suspects robbed him of jewellery, shot him, and fled the scene. Deputies responded to reports of a person shot and lying in the road at approximately 7 p.m. and attempted life-saving measures upon arrival, but Braylon died at the scene. His girlfriend witnessed the attack.
The family’s grief was immediate and raw. Braylon’s stepmother, Chelsea Diaz, described a boy who was gentle, loving, and fiercely protective. “He was a great kid. He was just two when he came into my life and I met him. He’s the most sweetest, loving kid ever. He would never confront anybody, the only reason he would walk close to that car would be to protect his girlfriend,” Chelsea said. She described Braylon as a member of both his school’s football and soccer teams who adored his girlfriend. “They were going to bake freaking cookies, you guys,” she added.
Braylon’s girlfriend, Katelyn Zuniga, who was with him when he was killed, said his final moments reflected exactly who he was. “He protected me his last few seconds. He was always a protector. He always cared about me. He didn’t hang around those types of people. He was the biggest nerd I knew. He cared so much about school,” Zuniga said.
The Franklin Pierce School District issued a statement expressing heartbreak over the loss and confirming that counselling and support resources are being made available to students, staff, and families. “During this incredibly difficult time, we ask our neighbors and community to keep this youth’s family, friends, and classmates in their thoughts and to surround them with compassion and support as they navigate this profound loss,” the district said.
Investigators have not yet released descriptions of the suspects or the vehicle involved. It remains unclear whether the attack was targeted, though authorities say it does not currently appear that Braylon and the suspects knew each other. Deputy Carly Cappetto, public information officer for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, asked the community to hold both families in their thoughts. “People need to understand we have two families that are hurting right now,” Cappetto said. “The fact that this was a very young man whose life was taken, obviously the girlfriend had witnessed that.”
Detectives are searching for surveillance or dashcam footage from the area of 102nd Street South and Sheridan Avenue South around the time of the shooting, as well as any video capturing suspicious activity within a five-mile radius of the scene between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Sunday. The sheriff’s office is also reminding the public to exercise caution and avoid approaching unfamiliar vehicles or individuals they do not know.
Braylon’s family has started a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral costs and support the family in the days ahead. Anyone with information or relevant footage is urged to contact the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and ask to speak with a detective.
