Friends, family cherish memories of student killed in shooting

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Tributes are pouring in with memories of a former Paloma Valley High School student who died from gunshot wounds in a tragic incident at a party in Wildomar Friday night.

Naythan Vasquez, 16, died from injuries suffered at a party after gunfire erupted shortly after 10 p.m. at a residence in the 21000 block of Waite Street, according to a Sheriff’s Department news release. Also shot was a friend of Naythan and a Paloma Valley student, who is recovering in a local hospital.

Naythan’s mother, Allisa Staley, said that investigators are still interviewing witnesses and searching for details about the incident. No arrests have been made at this time. She said the other male adolescent told her an argument began between others at the party and that he and Naythan ran when they saw guns being drawn. Both were shot before they could get away.

In the days since then, Staley and family members have received countless visits and expressions of sympathy from those who knew and loved Naythan. A news article posted on the Menifee 24/7 Instagram page has been viewed over 28,000 times, with 76 comments left -- mostly by classmates with the message LLN (Long Live Naythan) with a dove emoji.

“One of the kids yesterday stopped by and said, ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do. He pulled me out of some of my darkest times,” Staley said.

Naythan was popular among many Paloma Valley students and friends, and he went out of his way to help others, his mother said Monday in an interview with Menifee 24/7.

“He was the shyest kid, but he was so popular,” Staley said. “He was a handsome boy, but he really hated attention. Naythan was someone people wanted to be around. He was funny and caring. And he was a perfectionist. Anything he did, he gave it his all.”

Naythan and his family lived in Lake Elsinore until 2018, when they moved to Menifee. He attended Freedom Crest Elementary School and Hans Christensen Middle School before attending Paloma Valley High, where he played on the freshman and JV football teams and the track team. He played wide receiver and safety in football and ran the hurdles events and 400 meters in track.

After Naythan broke his ribs during a 7 on 7 football game midway through this school year at Paloma Valley, he missed considerable time in class and was worried about his grades, his mother said. He had been enrolled in a private home school program since March, planning to bring his grades back up and re-enroll at Paloma Valley for next school year.

In addition to his love for football and track, Naythan was an avid fisherman. Introduced to the activity by his uncle, whom he called Papa, he spent a lot of time fishing at Canyon Lake and Lake Skinner, in addition to deep sea fishing off Huntington Beach and Oceanside. Other favorite sports were boxing and soccer. He loved riding a motorcycle and skateboard and had a love for animals, including the family’s dog.

“He always tried to be a role model,” said his brother Robert, age 17. “He wanted to be like a welder or something and live on the beach.”

Naythan was very close to Robert and his twin siblings, 15-year-old Caleb and Abigail. Staley has many fond memories of her son and his interaction with his siblings and friends.

“One time, two of my boys took our dog to Starbucks,” Staley recalled. “The dog made a mess outside and they came into the shop to get something to clean it up. A lady who saw that bought them a gift card because she thought they were such nice boys.

“Another time, Naythan and his friends went to IHOP. A lady sitting behind them paid for their meals because she said they sounded like such nice kids.”

Asked what she will remember most about Naythan, Staley said, “His love for me. That little boy was obsessed with me ever since he was born. People would tell me, ‘You hold him too much. You need to make him independent.’ I always said, ‘No, because there will come a day when he’s too big for this.”

Staley recalls that on Naythan’s first day of kindergarten, “They had to pry him off me. After school I would go to pick him up and he was always sitting at the same chair by the window, watching for me. As soon as I came in the door, his face would light up.

“When he was in first grade, he went to a charter school and they had a party at the pizza place. He was so afraid to go because there was no window for him to watch for me.”

A private celebration of Naythan’s life will be held this Saturday, May 17. Staley said that those who were close to him and wish to attend should reach out to the family for information.

In addition, a GoFundMe site has been established to raise funds in his memory. That site can be accessed here.

As he grew up, Naythan would send texts to his mother from school, saying, “Come here. I miss you.”

Now it is Naythan that is missed, and the love is evident throughout the community.