14-year-old Shot and Killed Riding in Vehicle

In Cleveland, Ohio, 14-year-old Dewayde Stewart was shot and killed as he rode in the passenger seat of a vehicle. A 17-year-old was sitting in the backseat handling a Smith & Wesson handgun that unintentionally fired, striking Dewayde in the back. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The community gathered to remember Dewayde with a balloon release outside the school, where he had just completed eighth grade. His fifth grade teacher called him an ideal student. “He was a fun-loving, just hilarious student….He made me smile and laugh every single day. Once you met him and you saw that smile, that was something that was seared into your memory and into your heart forever,” she said.

The 17-year-old was charged with involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence and handling firearms in a motor vehicle.

Sources:

Olivia Mitchell, “14-year-old Boy Dies After Accidental Shooting on Cleveland’s East Side,” cleveland.com (June 27, 2025)

Clay LePard, “14-year-old Remembered After Being Accidentally Shot and Killed in Cleveland,” news5cleveland.com (Jun 27, 2025).