A 17-year-old boy identified as Chyler Paton was shot and killed during a pool party hosted at a home in Torrance Wednesday night.
Torrance Police responded to reports of gunfire around 9 p.m. at a residence on the 23000 block of Huber Avenue. Officers arrived to find shell casings and the teen lying unresponsive near the scene. Life-saving efforts were unsuccessful, and Paton was pronounced dead on site.
Family members said Paton was attending a celebration marking the end of the college semester. The pool had been booked through Swimply, an online platform that allows private homeowners to rent out their pools by the hour.
Witnesses told local news that as many as 200 people ultimately attended the party—well over the expected count of 20. The gunfire began as crowds were dispersing, with at least six initial shots followed by four return rounds.
Security footage from a neighboring residence captured dozens fleeing the scene. According to the homeowner, who said he did not know the victim, the shooting occurred while he was standing outside with Paton, waiting to pick up his younger brother. A white SUV reportedly drove past and opened fire. Moments later, someone at the back of the house fired back.
Swimply issued a statement following the incident:
“We are aware of the situation. We have reached out to the host to support in every way we can while the investigation is ongoing. Swimply maintains a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence, misconduct, and violations of our community guidelines.”
As of Thursday, no arrests had been made. Torrance police are urging anyone with information to contact them at (310) 328-3456.
