‘A loving, giving person’: Loved ones remember high school student shot on the Fourth of July

Felipe Rodriguez Jr., a 16-year-old from Hampden Township and a rising junior at Cumberland Valley High School, was fatally shot during a family party in Reading on July Fourth, leaving loved ones devastated.Court documents say that Daniel Cruz and an uninvited family member arrived at the party and began yelling about garbage in the alley. Cruz later retrieved a gun and shot Rodriguez.At a prayer vigil held in his memory, Raul Perez of Gettysburg described Rodriguez as “such a friendly kid, so energetic.” “I would describe him as my brother,” Perez said. “I want the world to know that Felipe was such a loving, giving person, that he was nothing but caring, and the only thing he wanted to be was happy and live life to the fullest.” Perez recalled the moment he learned of Rodriguez’s death. “I didn’t have any words. I just tried to stay strong during the call and tried to drive after, but had to pull over because I couldn’t hold in the tears,” he said. Karla Castillo of Harrisburg, who said Rodriguez was her boyfriend, shared her grief. “He was a great person,” she said through tears. Castillo said the two had been inseparable for the past two to three years. “I was always with him, so it’s hard to lose somebody that you’re always with. He was a part of my daily routine,” she said. She was with Rodriguez the night he died and shared her final words to him. “He was on the floor, and I was on the floor telling him to please breathe and stay strong, but obviously it didn’t work,” Castillo said. As they cope with their loss, Rodriguez’s loved ones shared a message for others. “To enjoy life,” Castillo said. “To live it as much as you can,” Perez added.

READING, Pa. —

Felipe Rodriguez Jr., a 16-year-old from Hampden Township and a rising junior at Cumberland Valley High School, was fatally shot during a family party in Reading on July Fourth, leaving loved ones devastated.

Court documents say that Daniel Cruz and an uninvited family member arrived at the party and began yelling about garbage in the alley. Cruz later retrieved a gun and shot Rodriguez.

At a prayer vigil held in his memory, Raul Perez of Gettysburg described Rodriguez as “such a friendly kid, so energetic.”

“I would describe him as my brother,” Perez said. “I want the world to know that Felipe was such a loving, giving person, that he was nothing but caring, and the only thing he wanted to be was happy and live life to the fullest.”

Perez recalled the moment he learned of Rodriguez’s death. “I didn’t have any words. I just tried to stay strong during the call and tried to drive after, but had to pull over because I couldn’t hold in the tears,” he said.

Karla Castillo of Harrisburg, who said Rodriguez was her boyfriend, shared her grief. “He was a great person,” she said through tears.

Castillo said the two had been inseparable for the past two to three years. “I was always with him, so it’s hard to lose somebody that you’re always with. He was a part of my daily routine,” she said.

She was with Rodriguez the night he died and shared her final words to him. “He was on the floor, and I was on the floor telling him to please breathe and stay strong, but obviously it didn’t work,” Castillo said.

As they cope with their loss, Rodriguez’s loved ones shared a message for others.

“To enjoy life,” Castillo said.

“To live it as much as you can,” Perez added.