Hillcrest's Royall shot and killed

Updated: June 5, 2011 2:34PM

A birthday party ended tragically when a shooting claimed the life of 17-year-old Hillcrest basketball player Ryan Royall and left a second teen wounded early Sunday in south suburban Lynwood.

Royall, 17, of the 17700 block of Winston Drive in Country Club Hills, was shot multiple times at Ho Chunk Sports and Expo Center in Lynwood and he was pronounced dead at 1:21 a.m. at Franciscan St. Margaret Mercy Health Care in Dyer, Ind., said Lake County, Ind. Deputy Coroner Pam Nauracy.

An autopsy Sunday morning determined his death was a homicide, according to Nauracy.

Royall, who just finished his junior year at Hillcrest High School, played basketball for the school. His position was guard and he was seen playing all day Saturday during the Riverside-Brookfield Summer Tournament.

At 12:47 a.m. police responded to the Ho Chunk Sports and Expo Center, 10 Southland Dr., where they found two teens shot, according to a release from police.

The surviving teen was taken to an undisclosed area hospital.

Three hundred to 500 people were attending the Expo for a birthday party for a 16-year-old when the incident occurred, according to the release.

Royall was remembered by Hillcrest basketball coach Don Houston.

“He was such a harmless kid. There wasn’t a mean bone in his body,” said Houston.

Houston said he believed the shooting was “random” and stemmed from a fight that Royall had no part of.

“From what I understand, the party was pretty much over and a fight broke out in the other parking lot. Ryan was in a different parking lot, far away from that when he was shot. He wasn’t involved, it was just a random shooting”

The coach said Royall was expected to be one of their top players this year.

“He played in all three games for us yesterday. We went 3-0 and were going to play in the championship bracket today,” Houston said. “Ryan was one of my leading players, an all-conference guy. Just a tough kid on the court.”

Houston, along with all of Royall’s teammates were at his mother’s home Sunday afternoon.

“We’re just doing the best we can to keep her spirits up,” Houston said Sunday afternoon.

CONTRIBUTING: Michael O'Brien

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