Ronin Shimizu, 12, was found dead in his Folsom, Calif. home Wednesday afternoon after possibly being bullied for being on a cheerleading team. Friends burst into tears grappling to understand why someone would bully 12-year-old Ronin Shimizu to death.
The seventh grader that used to attend California’s Folsom Middle School before leaving to be home schooled due to the excessive abuse, loved cheerleading. He was the only boy on the Vista Junior Eagles Cheer Team.
Ronin was homeschooled after leaving the school and former classmates believe his beloved hobby of cheerleading spurred homophobic abuse, according to KOVR-TV.
He died at his home Wednesday of what Folsom police only described as “not a suspicious death,” which can include suicide.
“Bullying him because of cheerleading - that’s not right,” former classmate Mia Kleinbart told KTXL-TV. “He’s doing what he loves to do. That’s a human right to be able to do that.”
KTXL 
Folsom Cordova Unified School District confirms learning of separate allegations of bullying targeting Ronin while he attended both Folsom Elementary and Middle School, district spokesman Daniel Thigpen told the Daily News.
Both complaints were met with “appropriate action,” Thigpen said. “We’re certainly using this as an opportunity to look back at how we looked at the allegations.”
Thigpen added that Ronin’s cheer team was not affiliated with the school district.
Photos of Ronin cheerleading show a smiling child jumping, clapping and dancing joyfully with his teammates at football games.
Friends described Ronin as passionate and happy especially after he left Folsom Middle School, but he was found dead Wednesday at his Folsom home. A candlelight vigil brought parents, students and Folsom staff together near Ronin’s Folsom home Thursday night to mourn his death.
“It just breaks my heart when that happens to someone as sweet natured ... He was such a sweet child,” Cynthia Brown told KXTV-TV at the vigil.
Riley Coleman, also a former classmate, struggled to keep back tears next to her mother as she explained what happened to Ronin.
“He was bullied very badly. I just want to give him...,” Coleman paused as she lost composure. “It’s not okay to bully people.”
Ronin’s close friend Hunter Reed who attended Folsom Middle School during the sixth grade described Ronin as passionate.
“He didn’t care what a lot of people said. He’s like the happiest person I ever met,” Reed told KTXL-TV, noting that Ronin was the happiest when he left their middle school. “He looked so happy in the locker room. He knew he didn’t want to be bullied again.”
Comments pouring into Ronin’s Instagram page hours after his death suggest the young boy masked his fears.
“I’m so sorry we couldn't save you, Ronin,” one classmate wrote.
To Post Comments Sign In