Teen Sought for Deadly Fight

Police at the Jersey shore are looking for a teen in connection with the death of 15-year-old Brian Shepherd, who died Sunday after a fistfight near North Wildwood's boardwalk.

The 14-year-old Philadelphia boy and Shepherd were allegedly in a fistfight near the stairs of the boardwalk Saturday night.

Shepherd went home with his father instead of going to the hospital right away, and he died hours later after he was found unconscious at the family's West Wildwood home on 8th Avenue.

Police have not released the name of the 14-year-old boy they are seeking.

But even though the suspect got away, prosecutors say they know who the boy is, and they are hoping to make an arrest soon in this case.

On the deck that Shepherd painted just before his death, his loved ones pondered his death.

"It's hard on everybody," said his uncle, Michael Shepherd. "I don't know how to deal with it right now, but we will pull together and try to."

"He was a good kid," said his father, Dennis Shepherd. "He was so helpful to the neighbors. He would do anything for anybody."

Police said Shepherd's head struck the ground during the fight. An autopsy revealed the teen died from blunt-force head trauma.

A spokesman for the state medical examiner's office, which performed the autopsy, wouldn't speculate on if the outcome would have been different if Shepherd had gone to the hospital sooner.

Authorities said the two teens did know each other, but they are not sure at this point why they were fighting.

Currently, prosecutors have a complaint charging the 14-year-old suspect with aggravated assault, but they will review the autopsy results and their investigation to determine if additional charges should be filed.

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