A second teen has died after a shooting incident in Northern Arizona over the weekend. Colten Boyle, a 15-year-old from outside of Payson, passed away on Sunday afternoon after being critically injured in a shooting that took place near Tonto Basin. Boyle was flown to a Phoenix trauma center on Saturday night after the incident, but sadly succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The shooting, which occurred around 11 p.m. on Saturday, involved seven teenagers, aged 15 to 20, who were gathering at a home approximately 12 miles east of Tonto Basin. Most of the teens were reportedly drinking at the time of the shooting. According to the Gila County Sheriff’s Office, a 15-year-old shot another 15-year-old before turning the gun on himself. The boy who died at the scene was identified as Easton Proffitt, a 10th grader at Perry High School in Gilbert. The identities of the other individuals involved in the shooting have not been released.
Both teens were shot in the head, but it remains unclear which boy was the shooter and which was the victim. The Gila County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Unit is continuing to investigate the incident and determine what led to this tragic event.
This shooting has left two families in mourning and a community in shock. Boyle, who was a resident of the Payson area, is remembered by those who knew him as a kind and caring individual. The investigation into the incident continues, with authorities working to uncover the circumstances surrounding this devastating tragedy.
