6-year-old eating by window shot and killed by stray bullet, Michigan family says
Rylee Love was sitting by the window eating McDonald’s as he eagerly watched for his dad to come home, his family told local news outlets.
Then, gunfire erupted on the Detroit street on July 27 and a stray bullet flew through the home down the street, fatally striking the 6-year-old boy, police said during a news briefing at the scene.
“When he got his McDonald’s, he sat down … right there in that window,” his father Terrence Neal told WDIV, pointing at the front window of his home. “That’s where he got shot.”
Rylee’s mother said he was playing as he ate and waited, according to WJBK.
“He kept looking out the window as he’s going back-and-forth, eating a nugget, jumping on a table standing and looking at the window,” Tarhesha Love told WJBK. “While the fourth time he looked out the window, I heard a pop sound and I see my baby collapse.”
Shell casings littered the street as police investigated just minutes after the deadly gunshots went off, according to Detroit police Chief Todd Bettison.
Police said they believe a vehicle was firing at another vehicle when the stray bullet struck the boy.
“Rylee was a risk taker, always full of life and energy,” his mother wrote in a GoFundMe. “He loved swimming, playing with his siblings, and brought so much joy to our family. His love for his mom and dad was endless, and he was truly the highlight of my days.”
The shooting is under investigation, and no suspects have been identified.
This story was originally published July 29, 2025 at 10:04 AM with the headline "6-year-old eating by window shot and killed by stray bullet, Michigan family says."
