A teenage boy was killed after gunfire erupted outside a house party on Denver’s east side in the early hours of September 6, 2025. Emergency responders found 13-year-old Ja’Loynie Cosey, known to family and friends as Taz, gravely wounded in a dimly lit parking lot in the 1100 block of North Syracuse Street. He was transported to a hospital but did not survive; the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death a gunshot wound and classified it a homicide.

Denver police said the shooting was connected to the house party and within days took a juvenile into custody; authorities later charged a 14-year-old with first-degree murder and stated they planned to seek transfer of the case to adult court. Officials described Ja’Loynie as an innocent victim and have not publicly released a motive or said whether others remain under investigation.

Ja’Loynie was beginning eighth grade at DSST: Montview Middle School and was remembered as an all-A student who loved basketball, playing for Gold Boys AAU and RISE, and who also enjoyed the arts and music. Does anyone who knew Ja’Loynie or saw activity near North Syracuse Street that night have information to share?