KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A 14-year-old boy who had just finished eighth grade was shot and killed early Thursday morning in Olathe, police said.
Olathe Police Department spokesman Sgt. Joel Yeldell said officers were called to the Blackbob Court Townhomes in the 12500 block of South Constance Street just after 2:15 a.m. on reports of a disturbance.
Police identified the victim as Zavier Mendoza of Olathe.
Later Thursday morning, police said they had made contact with everyone involved in the incident and had a 14-year-old boy in custody as the suspect.
According to police, the two boys knew each other. Yeldell did not say what led to the shooting.
Mendoza had just finished eighth grade at nearby Pioneer Trail Middle School and was slated to attend Olathe East High School this fall, according to the school district.
The teen's aunt said he was looking forward to starting high school. He loved sports and hanging out with his family, who are now trying to make sense of his death, she said.
The shooting happened just outside Chantel Young's door. Her children went to school with Mendoza and saw him around the neighborhood. They heard the gunshots on Thursday morning, Young said.
"It hurt me. I was in tears this morning," she said. "I called my mom in tears, devastated that something like that would happen, and to a young kid like that. We see it happen every day and it's sad."
Mendoza's family has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his funeral.
Anyone with information in the shooting is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at 913-971-6950 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
