Prosecutors Correct Account of Leon Day Park Shooting

Tyree Reynolds stood in front of a crowded field at Leon Day Park on Oct. 3 and removed a firearm from his backpack, according to a new indictment. Prosecutors say this action triggered a burst of violence that killed 12-year-old Khloe Ishway and injured two others. The legal document clarifies the cause of the mass shooting, which had been widely reported as a conflict over a parking spot.

The indictment details that the true trigger occurred two days before the game. On that earlier occasion, Reynolds and an associate pulled a gun on a man and struck him in the face. The man, who holds a concealed-carry permit, told police he recognized Reynolds as the two men walked past him while leaving the park on Oct. 3. Reynolds briefly addressed them before firing his weapon.

The man took cover behind a parked pickup truck and returned fire. He was not charged with a crime. Reynolds sustained a gunshot wound to his ankle during the exchange. Ishway, a bystander, was killed by the crossfire. Another adult sustained injuries during the incident.

Reynolds was released from prison eight days before the shooting. He had been serving a sentence for his involvement in a 2021 shootout. A senior official in the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement vouched for him, leading to a sentence reduction. He is currently held without bond on first-degree murder and related charges.

Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding their initial account of the dispute. The indictment provides a specific timeline of events that differs from the early narrative of the investigation.