On a tragic Friday afternoon, August 23, 2019, the life of 14-year-old Daijon "DJ" Wynn was cut short in Birmingham, Alabama. The Black/African American male was fatally shot while sitting in the front passenger seat of a Dodge Challenger parked at an Exxon gas station on Pinson Valley Parkway.
Inside the vehicle with Wynn were two other individuals, one of whom was his 17-year-old friend.
According to reports, the friend, who was in the back seat, was handling a gun when it accidentally discharged, striking Wynn. The Tarrant Police Department investigated the shooting and determined it to be accidental. The 17-year-old remained at the scene and cooperated with the authorities.
In the aftermath of the fatal shooting, the 17-year-old was charged in connection with Wynn's death. Due to his age, his name was not publicly released. The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office issued a juvenile petition against him for being a minor in possession of a firearm, which is a Class C felony.
In the days that followed, family and friends gathered to remember Daijon, who was a freshman at Tarrant High School. A vigil was held at the Tarrant Senior Center, where his mother, Laness Wynn, made an emotional plea for teenagers to "put the guns down" to prevent further tragedies. Funeral services for Daijon were held at the 22nd Avenue Baptist Church.
