CLEVELAND, Ohio – A 14-year-old boy is charged with murder in the shooting of a teen at a restaurant in Mayfield Heights.
The youth appeared in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court on Tuesday in connection with the slaying of Phillip Longino, 16, of Cleveland. He died late Sunday night after a fight at Raising Cane’s on Mayfield Road, authorities said.
The youth, of South Euclid, is accused of murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence and carrying a concealed weapon. County prosecutors are expected to decide whether the boy is tried as an adult.
Authorities also charged Jaisean Richardson, 18, with improper handling of a firearm in a car, a fourth-degree felony, according to Lyndhurst Municipal Court records. His case is expected to be brought to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court in the coming weeks.
Mayfield Heights police responded to a report of a shooting shortly before 10 p.m. Sunday at the restaurant. Officers found Longino, a student at the Ginn Academy, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound near the front entrance of the restaurant, according to police.
The teen was taken by ambulance to Hillcrest Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In a statement to families and staff, Ginn Academy’s principal, Damon Holmes, called Longino’s death “heartbreaking for our entire school community, and I know it will deeply affect many of us.”
Police said the shooting followed a fight involving youths inside the restaurant. Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is assisting Mayfield Heights police.
