After enduring months of heartache and unanswered questions, the family of 3-year-old Rylo Yancy, who tragically lost his life in a drive-by shooting, is finally seeing a ray of hope on the horizon. Jerrold Pough, Rylo’s grandfather, describes the young boy as a superhero—a vibrant little boy with a zest for life and a regular at church gatherings. “Respectful little kid,” Pough reflected. “The best kid you ever want to meet.”
The devastating incident occurred on July 21, during a birthday party at Riverland Park in Fort Lauderdale, where Rylo was fatally shot in the eye. “They took half of my baby’s face off,” Pough painfully recounted the horror of that day.
Eight months after the heartbreaking event, Fort Lauderdale Police have made a significant breakthrough. Twenty-year-old Tyler Hollins has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Rylo’s death. The investigation remains active, with police hinting that more arrests could be imminent as additional suspects have been identified.
“I thank God for closure,” Pough expressed his relief. “I thank God for justice.” The arrest has brought a mixed surge of emotions for Rylo’s family, who shared tears of joy upon hearing the news, finding some solace after months of agonizing grief. “Everybody broke down, tears of joy because we been through what we been through,” Pough said.
Details emerged that Hollins was already behind bars on unrelated charges when he was indicted for the young boy’s murder. His rap sheet includes a dramatic episode in May, where he led police on a cross-county chase in a stolen BMW before crashing into a state trooper’s car. Furthermore, in December, he was charged with grand theft after allegedly stealing another BMW from a home in Sunny Isles Beach on Thanksgiving Day.
Despite the progress in the case, Pough remains adamant about seeing justice fully served. “You had anything to do with my baby’s death, you need to be incarcerated,” he stated firmly, sending a powerful message to those involved in the tragedy.
As the family continues to cope with the immense loss of Rylo, Pough’s parting words resonate with both sorrow and resolve: “I hope God has mercy upon their soul for what they did to me and my family.”
Currently, Hollins is being held at Broward County Jail without bond, as the community and Rylo’s family await further developments in this poignant case.