Sixteen-year-old Royce Hayes Osburn was fatally shot at a Clinton, Missouri residence on September 17, 2023. The home was shared by the teen, his mother, and his grandfather. A 911 call reportedly captured a witness asking who had shot the boy; the teen allegedly replied that his grandfather had done so accidentally. Officers found Osburn with a gunshot wound; he later died. He had wanted to become a law enforcement officer.

Police identified the shooter as 70-year-old Thomas Ribby. Investigation reports and a probable cause statement say Ribby earlier let the teen handle an unloaded Glock, then later put a loaded magazine in the gun and stored it near his bed. The firearm was removed and returned to Ribby, who reportedly removed the magazine, believed the chamber empty, pointed the gun at his grandson and pulled the trigger, firing a round into the boy’s back. Ribby allegedly locked himself inside and had to be taken into custody after officers breached the residence. He was booked on charges that included first-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death, and resisting arrest, held on a $100,000 cash-only bond. Family members expressed devastation and anger over the loss.

If anyone in Clinton knew Royce, his routines, or saw anything the night of September 17, what can be shared with investigators?