15-year-old killed at Bogalusa birthday party was football player, band member

BOGALUSA, La. (WVUE) - A Bogalusa family is grieving and asking for help after the murder of their youngest of eight children.

Ronie Taylor became the town’s eighth murder victim of the year Friday (Dec. 9) night when police say shots rang out at a birthday party.

Taylor’s parents confirmed the identity of the 15-year-old victim shortly before speaking to the press outside of City Hall Monday morning.

The victim’s father, Reginald Taylor, said it will be hard waking up without his son, a football player and band member at Bogalusa High School, who he called motivated and uplifting.

“He was a good child,” said Ronie’s mother, Ronique Taylor. “I want justice for my baby.”

Ronie is remembered as the leader of his family, despite being the youngest.

“It’s crazy to think about him being gone,” Reginald said. “I don’t know what it’s like waking up without him.”

Bogalusa police say Taylor and two 14-year-olds were shot at a party Friday night (Dec. 9) in the 800 block of Warren Street. Bullet wounds were visible on the building’s exterior Monday.

Taylor was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a hospital where he died.

“This was tragic. Not needed,” Bogalusa Police Major Troy Tervalon said.

Police say one of the 14-year-old victims was shot in the leg and remains hospitalized in stable condition. The other was released from the hospital the following day.

Teen shootings have become all too common in Bogalusa, but the Taylor family says they never thought it would happen to them. They want the violence to stop.

“We don’t want retribution,” Ronique said. “The Bogalusa police department needs to do what they have to do.”

Mayor-elect Tyrin Truong said he remembered Taylor from his campaign trail.

“We used to call him the boss of the group,” Mayor Truong said. “He would say ‘we need brochures’ and I would just laugh.”

Funeral services will be held at Bogalusa High School on Saturday at 10 a.m.

If you know anything about this shooting, Bogalusa authorities are asking you to call the police department at 985-732-3611 or Crime Stoppers at 504-482-1111.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.

Copyright 2022 WVUE. All rights reserved.