KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- A local wrestling team is mourning the loss of one of their own after a teen was found shot to death in the Maple Hill Laundromat near Gibbs Rd. and S. 34th St.
Police say an employee opening the laundromat Saturday morning found the teen around 7 a.m.
That’s about the same time December Htoo was supposed to be heading to wrestling practice.
“Him not showing up was out of the ordinary,” said Zach Davies, head wrestling coach at JC Harmon High School.
By Saturday Afternoon, Coach Davies learned Htoo had been shot and killed at the laundromat where the teen worked part-time.
On Sunday, the business was closed and a small memorial was left outside.
"To have this happen pretty much right before our eyes," says Davies. "I mean he was there one day and gone the next and it's hard to come to grips with that."
The JC Harmon sophomore was a big part of the wrestling team. A team the coach describes as a family.
"We were a family and all these kids they lost a brother and it's almost to the effect of we felt like we lost a son too,” said Davies, "He truly is one of a kind, very unique, very funny, very outgoing loving kid. There is not a person on the team that hasn't been affected by him in a positive way. Even our new freshman this year."
Coach Davies says he will be at school on Monday along with grief counselors to talk about what happened.
"As their coach, it's important for me to help them get through this as best as I can,” said Davies.
Davies isn’t sure what he will say to students just yet, he knows the loss of Htoo will impact a lot of students.
"He's not going to be around anymore... he's not going to have a future,” said Davies, "That's the hardest part is that he's not going to be able to contribute his positivity to the world."
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds for funeral costs.
