In the early hours of Thursday, March 26, 2026, a shooting in an Arlington, Texas, convenience store parking lot claimed the life of 20-year-old Malachi Daron Hayes. Officers responded to the scene in the 2100 block of East Abram Street at approximately 1:24 a.m. and found Hayes unresponsive with an apparent gunshot wound. He was quickly transported to a local hospital but was pronounced deceased at 2:02 a.m.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that Hayes died from multiple gunshot wounds.
The Arlington Police Department launched a homicide investigation into the shooting. Detectives began to piece together the events that led to the fatal incident and were exploring whether it was connected to any high-risk activity. In the days following the shooting, law enforcement had not publicly identified any suspects or made any arrests in connection with the case. The investigation was described as active and ongoing as authorities continued to seek information from the public to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Malachi Hayes was a former basketball standout at Sam Houston High School, and his death was met with sorrow in the community. An obituary for Hayes announced a visitation and a celebration of life to be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Sam Houston High School.
