Remember when a snowball fight was part of the innocence of youth? I do.

I also will tell you that my targets were not always other kids. Yes, I threw more than my share of snowballs at people, cars and lots of other things. What can I say, I was a knucklehead.

Luckily, a lot of the things I did as a kid never had much in the way of serious repercussions.

I never once ever thought a snowball fight could put me in any danger, let alone cost me my life.

Today we know otherwise.

In Philadelphia this week, what started as a fairly innocent snowball fight cost a 15-year-old kid his life.

Yes, you’re not the only one shaking your head.


What exactly happened on the 4800 block of D Street in Feltonville, is not clear. Some say a man was hit in the face with a snowball. Another version is that a youth was hit and then complained to the man.

Apparently the man left, then returned with a gun. Police believe he shot 15-year-old Teven Rutledge. The teen was rushed to the hospital, where he died several hours later.

Oh, and one other thing. It was Rutledge’s birthday.

Unreal.