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Danville Shooting Victim, 17-year old Rylan Fuchs, Dies
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by Tina Kells | January 21, 2009 at 03:29 pm
5317 views | 4 Recommendations | 12 comments
A senseless shooting in the quiet suburb of Danville California has claimed the life of 17-year old Rylan Fuchs. Fuchs was shot Tuesday night outside of his home at 1000 block of El Capitan Drive. He died Wednesday in hospital from his wounds.
Rylan Fuchs was struck by a bullet to the neck while at his own front door at around 9:15pm. Fuchs stepfather Ron Harmon rushed to the door to find the 17-year old badly wounded from a single gunshot.
"He had six months to go before he really started his life," said stepfather Ron Harmon. "I can't believe this has happened. It's a total waste."
"He was trying to hold his neck," Harmon said. "Then I was holding his neck."
Harmon said his stepson tried to talk and tell him what happened, but couldn't get the words out. Fuchs was taken to San Ramon Regional Medical Center and when doctors there couldn't stabilize him, to John Muir Medical Center, where he died.
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Fuchs was rushed to San Ramon Regional Medical Center, where they were unable to stabilized him. He was then sent to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek for further treatment.
15 to 20 of Fuchs classmates showed up at the hospital when they heard the news to show support and offer prayers. They held vigil at the hospital all night but their prayers were not answered.
Harmon said Fuchs played basketball, liked to go fishing in the Delta and dabbled in guitar.
"He was the life of the party," Harmon said. "And those kids were at the hospital with him all night long."
According to his Facebook page, Fuchs was a fan of rock, rap, reggae and R&B music, the television shows "Weeds," "Lost," and "Entourage," and the movies "Superbad" and "Harsh Times."
Grief counseling is being made available to Fuchs' San Ramon Valley High School classmates. Danville police Chief Chris Wenzel has assigned 10 detectives to the case which has been given top priority. It is the first murder in Danville since 2007.
The motive behind the shooting is still unknown but it has been confirmed by police that Fuchs knew his shooter and that an argument occurred shortly before shots were fired. Wenzel says that family, friends and classmates have provided police with strong leads.
"I'm confident it's not a random act," the chief said.Wenzel did not recall police ever being called to the house.
The death sent shock waves through the suburban neighborhood off El Capitan Drive. The single-story, green-trimmed house where Fuchs lived is one of several single-family homes on the tree-lined street known mostly for the quietude that pervades the rest of the town.
"Things like this are very isolated (in) the town of Danville," Wenzel said. "Violent crime is almost nonexistent."
Harmon said the reason he moved to Danville seven years ago was to keep his stepchildren in safe neighborhoods and good schools. When he married Fuchs' mother, Karen Williams, she was living in Alamo with Rylan and his 9-year-old brother, and Harmon was living in Bay Point.
"I picked Danville because of the area," Harmon said. "I knew (the children) weren't ready for the inner city."
Neighbor John Gallagher, a two-year resident of the town, said he is still trying to believe what happened.
"We're very shocked and very saddened," he said. "This is a safe neighborhood."
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Tina Kells
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at 21:03 on January 21st, 2009
RIP
rylan. we shall miss ya
at 02:28 on January 22nd, 2009
this happening is pure unmitigated bullshit. my heart goes out to his family and friends.
at 11:30 on January 22nd, 2009
Rylan was one of my son's best friends. It is so unfair that Rylan's mother has had to suffer yet another tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
at 11:31 on January 22nd, 2009
What a waste of a beautiful life!
at 15:47 on January 22nd, 2009
Being in some of his classes makes it hard at school to take finals when all your thinking about is the boy who was the shinning face that sat in the desk in front of you.
at 17:47 on January 22nd, 2009
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. God Bless you Rylan, you will forever be remembered.
<3
at 19:46 on January 22nd, 2009
this is like a dream. i hope everyones doing good. give hope and peace to rylans family and friends. will always miss you and love u
at 10:13 on February 3rd, 2009
Let me tell you a story......I am a SRVHS graduate '96 -I grew up on Greenbrook Dr. at El Capitan Dr. - And EVEN BACK IN '96 I saw some shit that I only thought I would see in Oakland or SF....A large flatbed tow truck barreled out of the Denny's parking lot off of Sycamore Valley and almost side swiped the car my friend was driving. It followed us all the way down Camino Ramon until we got to El Capitan - It flipped on the brights and got in close - we slowed down to stop at a stop sign...the truck pulled just ahead of us and spun sideways in the intersection, cutting off all routes. Four or Five large men wearing cowboy hats jumped out of the cab of the truck. Two of them appeared to carrying a baseball bat and a crowbar....they walked toward us menacingly.....we hit reverse and got the hell out of there.......Another time a couple month after that......I was playing frisbee under the street lights on my street at about 2am - I had a couple of my friends with me and we stopped what we were doing as soon as we heard a bunch of voices turning onto our street. A group of kids, younger than us but much more in numbers, started walking toward us. The fat kid in the back of the group carried a film camera, a couple others carried baseball bats. As they approached I realized I knew the kid in the front of the group. "Hey man," I spoke. "Don't I know you from auto-shop class 3rd period?" The kid looked confused for a second. "Oh yeah - Pedro! I know you man! You're all right." He then turns around to talk to his group, "Hey everyone, I know this guy. He's cool. Let's go somewhere else." So I had to ask. "What are you all doing wandering around....and with a video camera?" His response: "Oh man, a bunch of us are on acid and we are going to beat the shit out of someone and video tape it!" I told him good luck, and was forever grateful for that auto-shop class..........Danville is a sheltered community where it's easy for kids to resort to violence - it's up to the parents to raise their children in a positive environment.
at 17:40 on March 4th, 2009
wow, are you fserious? this is a page to remember rylan, not to share your lame stories. we dnt care about that stuff right now, that happened awhile ago. go share your stories else where not on a website dedicated to rylan
at 09:53 on February 13th, 2009
Ill always love && miss you. We'll meet up again someday. You lived a beautiful life.
at 01:45 on March 18th, 2009
Rest In Peace Homie
Forever Be Remembered Rylan
at 09:39 on July 22nd, 2009
ray was a great kid and did not diserve to die this way or this yong it has scared me for life as i sat there holding him as he died he said that he was sorry i said for what and that was it he tryed to tell me but coldnt get it out so if i ever see aaron agen he has somethig comeing to him