Calvin Riley: Family of man killed while playing Pokemon Go in San Francisco speaks out
SAN MATEO (KTVU) -- The family of a San Mateo college baseball player, killed while playing "Pokemon Go" in San Francisco's Aquatic Park, is speaking out for the first time since their son's slaying earlier this month.
U.S. Park Police are working on new leads in the murder of Calvin Riley, although officials remain tight-lipped about the investigation.
His family members said they are still trying to come to terms with the killing of Riley, 20, a college baseball player whose star was on the rise.
"As soon as he could hold a baseball, he starting throwing it," said Sean Riley, Calvin's father.
The elder Reilly mentored his son in baseball while the boy was growing up and he currently runs a baseball academy called Peninsula Stars, while working as an associate scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The elder Riley was originally from Boston but came to the Bay Area on a baseball trip five years ago.
He fell in love with the area and believed that the opportunities for his son in baseball were greater here than in Boston. Sean soon took an assistant coaching job at Junipero Serra High School, which is where Calvin eventually attended school.
"He was on his way," his father said. "He was at Delta Community College in Stockton trying to reach his goal to become a D-1 baseball player and he was at that point where he was starting to get offers."
Investigators said that on Aug. 6 just after 9:30 p.m. while walking with a friend near Ghirardelli Square, the younger Riley was shot in the back while playing Pokemon Go. He died at the scene.
"He never got a chance to fight," his mother, Kariann Riley said through tears. "His dad was his best friend. They did everything together and (he) was stolen from us and the rest of his life was stolen. All of his dreams, everything he's worked so hard for was taken from him for no reason."
"It's been a nightmare," his father said while choking back tears.
A statement issued Friday by U.S. Park Police said the agency's investigation is ongoing.
"Police are still actively working to solve the case of the shooting of Calvin Riley on Aug. 6," the statement said "We have brought in extra resources including other federal agencies with expertise in this type of incident to move the case forward."
"It's hard," the elder Riley said. "We just need help we need help to find the person who did this. (He) was such a great kid. We need the person brought to justice."
The Rileys, including their two younger children, chose to bury Calvin in his Serra Padres baseball uniform. They say the school retired his No. 9 jersey and hung it in the school locker room.
And while Calvin's dream was to one day play for the Red Sox, he had a soft spot for the San Francisco Giants.
Former Giants player Jeremy Affeldt presented the family with a Giants jersey signed by the players at a game on Aug. 20. Kariann said it was a surreal moment, because the family had stood in almost the exact same spot at AT&T Park five years ago with Calvin, right after they moved to the West Coast.
Kariann Riley has a message for whoever killed her son, "I would say that you have stolen from us a huge piece of our heart that it will never be the same."
Anyone with information about Riley's slaying was asked to call U.S. Park Police's tip line at (415) 561-5150.
A Go Fund Me account has been set up to help the Rileys with funeral expenses. Because donations have exceeded the $75,000, the family is starting a scholarship fund at Serra High School. Click here to donate.
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