Video: Memorial for slain teenage boy destroyed by suspect with bat in Bensalem
BENSALEM, Pa. - A family struck with grief over the loss of their son were forced to to face even more tragedy after his memorial was destroyed on New Year's Day.
Video posted by Bensalem Police shows a suspect using a baseball bat or club to damage objects placed in remembrance of Peter Romano.
The 14-year-old was killed when a triple shooting erupted at a strip mall on Bristol Pike and Woodbine Avenue on Halloween night.
Romano was fatally struck in the chest. Two other teens, 17 and 19, suffered non-fatal gunshot wounds to the lower body.
Memories of the teenager brought joy to his Aunt Angela.
"He was a fourteen year old kid, he did everything a fourteen year old kid loved to do, went out, played," says Angela Romano.
It’s one of the few things the family has left of him, along with a memorial that sits at the Bristol Pike strip mall where his life was brought to an abrupt end.
"When we go there we feel close to him," said Angela.
Which is why the family can’t wrap their brains around someone wanting to destroy it.
"Peter did nothing to deserve his life to get ripped away from him so quickly," his sister Maria told FOX 29 back in November. "I hope everyone remembers this sweet angel in their prayers and I know he will be watching over everyone who loved him and everyone he loved."
Vigil held for 14-year-old killed in Halloween night triple shooting in Bensalem
A vigil was held Thursday at a Bensalem shopping mall where a 14-year-old was killed when a fight escalated to gunfire on Halloween night.
His family had set up the memorial in his honor at the same place where his life was brought to an abrupt end. It has since been fully restored.
The family says just hours before it was vandalized, they were at the memorial.
"We pieced everything back together, fixed his tree and put everything back, we made it look beautiful again, but we were cleaning up broken glass, all the ornaments all over the place. It was sad, that’s really heartless, how can you do something like that," said the aunt.
Police don’t believe this act of vandalism is tied to the shooting.
"At this point there is no information that we have that will connect the two together. We have no reason to believe that. We really don’t know what the reasoning other than just being a creep and a coward," said Lt. Robert Bugsch, of the Bensalem Police Department.
Peter’s family says they are confident police will capture whoever did this.
They are hoping, moving forward, Peter can rest in peace and the family can just grieve in peace.
"Do the right thing, turn yourself in and have respect for my family," said Angela.
Bensalem police encourage anyone with information about this incident to contact them.