Fight turns deadly in Ava; 1 teenager killed, another injured by gunfire

One teenager is dead, one teenager injured after police say a fight turned into a deadly shooting in Ava.

Police say it all happened about 1:45 a.m. Monday in the parking lot outside the Ava Schools Performing Arts Center, which is where high school students park. Young people in the community frequently gather there too.

Police got a call a young man may be on the way to the school with a gun to confront another young man. Police heard multiple gun shots as they pulled up. They found 18-year-old Paul Porter lying on the ground, with a fatal, self-inflicted gunshot wound and a handgun nearby. Police say there were about fifteen people in the parking lot at the time, and several witnesses told police about another person shot, 18-year-old Payton Esterline, who was found near the elementary school. He was taken to a Springfield hospital. Family tell us doctors had to remove his spleen. He suffered a gun shot wound to the shoulder and was grazed on the chin. Payton's family says after surgery, he is stable in ICU.

The superintendent of schools was unaware of problems between the two young men, who both just graduated. As this community is reeling from the tragedy, police say they will increase patrols at the school parking lot, where they believe Porter planned the attack.

"We're still investigating that part, but it is believed that yes, it was planned, somewhat. We don't know what degree yet," said Sgt. Tim Stuart of the Ava Police Department.

"We have a lot of kids that gather there," said Dr. Nancy Lawler, Superintendent of Ava Schools. "It's the spot for them to gather on weekend nights. We've debated whether to close it off or not, and we have not done that, mainly because it's a very visible area. There's a ton of traffic that goes by. It's the main route through town, so it's policed a lot by the police and just by people in general. So we would rather our kids hang out in town where they can be seen than to close everything off and make it more difficult for them to have a hangout spot."

Payton Esterline is recovering in a Springfield hospital. Dr. Lawler says Paul Porter isn't the only suicide recently. The district lost another student this spring.