Community Mourns the Tragic Loss of 17-Year-Old Jayshawn Cornelius in Westwood, Ohio

Community Mourns the Tragic Loss of 17-Year-Old Jayshawn Cornelius in Westwood, Ohio

WESTWOOD, Ohio — A community is in mourning after the tragic and senseless shooting death of 17-year-old Jayshawn Cornelius on Tuesday. Jayshawn, a student at Hughes STEM High School, had dreams of becoming a mechanic and was remembered by friends and family as a bright young man who tragically found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The fatal shooting took place inside a house on Percy Avenue, leaving more than a dozen bullet holes in its walls and an eerie silence lingering throughout the neighborhood. The aftermath has left the Westwood community shaken and afraid.

“You could feel the sadness right here,” said Chuey Huff, a member of Save Our Youth Kings and Queens, an outreach group working to guide and protect at-risk youth. “Like stuff is still sitting there. I said somebody left shoes there. It’s a cup there.” His description paints a heartbreaking picture of how abruptly violence shattered what should have been a peaceful day.

The fear has been especially hard on children in the neighborhood, many of whom had to lie on the ground as shots rang out. “There are no kids who want to play out here. And they can’t because of what just happened right here in front of them,” Huff shared.

The home, now riddled with bullet holes, stands as a chilling symbol of the violence that took Jayshawn’s life. Residents say the area has fallen silent — a tense stillness that speaks volumes about the emotional toll the shooting has taken.

“It’s a terrifying thing to even hear that because they know that you have to go through it,” Huff added, referring to the trauma that young people in the area now carry with them.

Save Our Youth Kings and Queens has remained present in the neighborhood, offering comfort, support, and a call to action. “There’s no time limit on showing you care,” said Charles Williams, another member of the group, emphasizing the importance of long-term support in the wake of such tragedy.

As authorities continue their investigation, community leaders and residents alike are urging anyone with information to step forward. “If it was your loved one, you know, in that kind of situation, hit for no reason especially, you’re going to want to know who did it,” Williams said.

Jayshawn Cornelius’s life was filled with potential — a young man with a plan, a passion, and a future that should have been his to live. As Westwood grapples with this immense loss, the call for justice, peace, and protection for its youth grows louder.

Jayshawn will be remembered not only for who he was, but for what he aspired to be. May his family and community find strength during this incredibly difficult time — and may his memory serve as a call to end the violence claiming far too many young lives.