Crime

Teen killed in Parkland has been identified. Investigators ask public for help

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Monday that the teen boy fatally shot in Parkland on Sunday evening was 17-year-old Braylon Daniel Diaz.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office website Monday said that 17-year-old Braylon Daniel Diaz died in an incident that happened shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday. The website listed his cause of death as pending. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Carly Cappetto confirmed Monday that Diaz is the teenager who was shot and killed in Parkland.

The sheriff’s office said he was walking in the area when a car pulled up and unknown individuals robbed him of jewelry, shot him and drove away, The News Tribune reported. The initial dispatch call came in at 7:13 p.m., and the boy was found lying in the road in the 10200 block of Sheridan Avenue South. Responding deputies were unable to save Diaz’s life. As previously reported by The News Tribune, the department is seeking surveillance footage that may have captured suspects in the area.

Initially the sheriff’s office reported that Diaz was 16, but Cappetto clarified on Monday that he was 17. She said she had no further public updates about the investigation as of 2:15 p.m.

Becca Most
The News Tribune
Becca Most is a reporter covering Pierce County issues, including topics related to Tacoma, Lakewood, University Place, DuPont, Fife, Ruston, Fircrest, Steilacoom and unincorporated Pierce County. Originally from the Midwest, Becca previously wrote about city and social issues in Central Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Her work has been recognized by Gannett and the USA Today Network, as well as the Minnesota Newspaper Association where she won first place in arts, government/public affairs and investigative reporting in 2023.  Support my work with a digital subscription
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