At approximately 9:45 pm on Tuesday night, officers from the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) responded to a report of a shooting at Seek Lane Neighborhood Park in Silver Spring. The victim, who did not survive, was 18-year-old Cristian Ortiz. The community is now raising money to help his mother, Miriam Ortiz, with funeral expenses.
According to an interview with the victim’s mother by FOX5’s Melanie Alnwick, Ortiz planned a surprise party for her son Christian’s 19th birthday, which would have been on Thursday. “Instead of a surprise celebration, Ortiz said she was shocked when police knocked on her door at 3 a.m. to tell her that her son was dead and that she had to go to the medical examiner’s office in Baltimore to identify him.”
MCPD has stated that at this time, there is no suspect information available, and no arrests have been made. Detectives from the Major Crimes Division are actively investigating. The text from the GoFundMe can be seen below:
“With all the mourning in our hearts, we announce the death of our beloved Cristian Ortiz. On October 2, 2024, we received the news that Cristian had unfortunately passed away.
Cristian was a joy in our lives, who in his 18 years of life, blessed us with his friendship and his affection and love. Cristian leaves his mother Mirian, his grandmother Francisca, and his brother Ángel. Every help from you will mean a lot to be able to bury your remains. This aid will serve for funeral and burial expenses. We thank you with all our heart and please take the whole family in our prayers” Photo courtesy of the GoFundMe fundraiser.