Mother heartbroken after son, 15, shot and killed while walking home from school in North Philadelphia

A Philadelphia mother is searching for answers after her teenage son was shot and killed while walking home from school Monday afternoon in North Philadelphia. 

Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 2200 block of North 15th Street just before 3 p.m. for reports of a shooting. 

Philadelphia Police Captain John Walker told reporters a 15-year-old student, later identified as Juan "J.R." Carlos Robles-Corona, had just left Dr. Tanner G. Duckrey School when he was approached by at least one person who shot him three times in the torso.

Officers drove the Robles-Corona to Temple University Hospital where died, according to police.

Juan Carlos Robles-Corona, who went by "J.R.", was shot and killed in North Philadelphia. 

"To ambush my son and kill him like that and then leave him in the street like garbage he didn’t deserve that. no kid deserves that," J.R.'s mother Maria Balbuena told FOX 29. 

Balbuena said J.R. was involved in an incident at school before the deadly shooting and left the building earlier than usual. She claims the school never told her about the incident and didn't know what happened to her son until she got a call around 3:30 p.m. that he didn't pick up his siblings. 

"He always made sure he took care of his brothers and he didn’t make it," Balbuena said. "I need someone to tell me why I wasn’t called when he left."

Balbuena said she moved her family to Philadelphia from New York City last year and J.R. endeared himself to the city. 

"He would say ‘I’m a Philly boy now,' but the streets didn't love him back," Balbuena said. "I didn’t come here to take my son back to New York in a casket."

A day after the deadly shooting, loved ones joined Balbuena near a growing memorial where J.R. was killed. 

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