A 15-year-old boy from South Euclid, accused of killing another teen outside the Raising Cane's in Mayfield Heights last December, is now waiting on a judge's ruling after a bench trial that started June 1. Judge Nicholas Celebrezze has scheduled an adjudication hearing for June 22 in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court. The victim, 16-year-old Phillip Longino Jr., was shot near the restaurant entrance on Dec. 28, 2025, and later died at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital.
The youth, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, is charged with murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, and carrying a concealed weapon, according to Cleveland 19 News. During the bench trial, prosecutors called a Raising Cane's employee, one of Longino's friends, and several Mayfield Heights police officers, while the defense put a different restaurant worker on the stand.
The shooting unfolded around 10 p.m. near the front doors of the restaurant at 5880 Mayfield Road. Longino was taken to Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital and later pronounced dead, according to News 5 Cleveland. A 14-year-old from South Euclid was detained at the scene and arraigned in juvenile court, and an 18-year-old man was also taken into custody, local reporting shows.
What happened in court
Over several days of testimony, prosecutors and defense attorneys laid out sharply different stories of the argument and gunfire outside the restaurant. Judge Celebrezze heard the case in a bench trial and then set the next hearing for June 22, according to Cleveland 19 News. Because the matter is in juvenile court, the proceedings follow a system that tries to balance rehabilitation for young offenders with the need to protect the public.
Safety steps and community response
In the aftermath of the shooting, Mayfield Heights police and Raising Cane's rolled out new security measures at the Mayfield Road location. The changes include closing the dining room at 8 p.m., providing live security-camera access to police, hiring private security, and stepping up staff safety training, according to News 5 Cleveland. Officials also said officers will more aggressively enforce juvenile curfew and loitering rules in the surrounding area in an effort to cut down on late-night crowds.
School leaders described Longino's death as a crushing loss. The Cleveland Metropolitan School District told families, "This loss is heartbreaking for our entire school community, and I know it will deeply affect many of us," as reported by Cleveland.com. Ginn Academy officials said counseling and support services were available to students and staff once they returned from winter break.
Legal note
An adjudication hearing is the stage in juvenile court where a judge reviews the evidence and decides whether a young person is delinquent, according to the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court. If the youth is adjudicated, the case then moves to a separate disposition phase, where the court decides on the next steps, such as treatment, supervision, or confinement. The juvenile system is designed with a stronger focus on rehabilitation, including options like probation, residential treatment, or placement in a youth facility.
The case is set to return to Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court on June 22, when Judge Celebrezze is expected to rule. At that point, local prosecutors and court records will determine whether the matter proceeds to disposition or whether any new filings shift how the case moves forward.
