Wesley Welling GoFundMe raises over $200,000 for teen killed at Westlake High school

Wesley Welling, a 15-year-old Westlake High student, was killed and at least three others were injured on Tuesday, April 18, after a car intentionally crashed into them in Thousand Oaks, California. Police said that the suspect was involved in multiple violent altercations before he crashed into the teen near his school.

According to authorities, Wesley Welling and his sister were reportedly waiting for the bus outside Westlake High School when a suspect, identified as Austin Eis, struck him and four other teens following a violent rampage that started with a stabbing early Tuesday afternoon at a Walmart in Simi Valley.

In the wake of his death, a GoFundMe launched for the slain teen's family has raised over $200,000, surpassing the initial goal of $15,000. The money from the fundraiser will go towards financially supporting the teen's family while they grieve for their son.

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Wesley Welling was leaving school to celebrate his mother's birthday when he was killed

Wesley Welling's GoFundMe was started on behalf of his mother, Kelly Welling, and detailed the incident that claimed the life of the young teen on April 18. The page said that Welling was leaving school to celebrate his mother’s birthday when he and three other teens “were struck by a driver who had committed multiple crimes that day throughout multiple cities in Ventura County.”

The description begins with:

“Our beloved Wesley recently passed on 04-18-2023. Wesley was a wonderful son, brother, and friend. Who touched the lives of those around him. Wesley was a 9th-grade student at Westlake High School in Southern California.”

As per CBS, on Wednesday, fellow students and other community members visited the memorial site of Wesley Welling, who was described as an "amazing kid" by his mother, Kelly. She said:

"I don't know how we're gonna do without him. Wesley was an amazing kid. Just positive, always joking, always trying to help people."

As per ABC News, Welling’s sister Hannah, who reportedly witnessed the horrific incident detailed the events surrounding the collision. Recounting the incident, Kelly said:

"I got a call from my daughter Hannah. There was an accident and he was unconscious and they were doing CPR and they did CPR the whole way to the hospital. That is where he passed. By some miracle, my daughter wasn't standing right next to him because it could have been both of them."

Three other students who were also injured were identified as two females, aged 14 and 16, and another 15-year-old male student.

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The suspect in the crash was a Westlake High Student

Authorities said that the suspect in the incident, Austin Eis, 24, began a crime spree at a Walmart in Simi Valley 13 miles from where the crash occurred. Eis, a former Westlake High student, allegedly stabbed an employee at the store before getting into an altercation at his parents' home in Camarillo, resulting in police responding to the scene.

Eis supposedly fled soon after, which ended in a deadly collision near the school in Thousand Oaks.

Authorities said that Eis was taken into custody Wednesday and was expected to be arraigned on multiple charges Thursday.