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Johnny Ray Lee

Age 17

Big Spring, Texas

He could always make new friends

He lived in Big Spring nearly all his life. The small city in Texas was his home.

He was months away from walking the halls of Big Spring High School for the first time. At home, he balanced his time between playing video games and bonding with his sister, Carli, and brother, Logan. An “outgoing people person,” he never shied away from making new friends. Family and friends alike knew him as “a wonderful person.”

Around 4 a.m. on June 8, 2018, Johnny Ray Lee, 15, died from an accidental gunshot. Police called it a game of Russian Roulette.

By Elizabeth Meisenzahl · Age 17
Meet the Reporters

More than 300 siblings

Yaleah Hall

Sister, daughter, dancer, since day one

Izabella Marie Helem

Brother shoots his sister by accident

Raydale Hill

Can no longer create his music

Lorenzo Moore-Vaughn

About to start his senior year

Caydence Nicole Painter

Reading, dancing, playing. Siblings shot together.

Ty'Dre Shyheim Hailey

She didn’t know it was real

Rashaad Izil Wisher

One brother buried. Then another one.

Kameron Johnson

He dreamed of college and cars

Ryan Amadeo Dela Cruz

Gone, two weeks shy of graduation

Jaquincy Jawan Ross

Wanted to buy her a scooter

Jeremiah Ascencio

Last moments spent cradling his brother

Peyton Nicole Hurt

Still helping others, even in death

Rashiya Melton

Joins brother, leaves behind her twin

Ramand Kassadine Davis

Happy in his SpongeBob SquarePants jammies

Elisha Amon Cole

Dreaming big, working on his portfolio

Jayden Fondeur

His older brother found him first

Lia Lin Collier

A light, “unrelenting joy” extinguished

Elijah Foster

Dope Boy Gang. One less member.

Shondricka J'Nay Adams

Celebrating one night, gone the next

Jontae Billups-Brooks

An athlete and a music lover