Jayda Woods-Johnson

Jayda Woods-Johnson was a 13-year-old girl described by her family as a "firecracker" who was full of life. The Black seventh grader loved singing, dancing, fashion, and spending time with her friends, and she dreamed of becoming an actress. Her parents said she could light up any room she was in and infected everyone around her with laughter and playfulness.

On the evening of July 3, 2024, Jayda was with a friend at the Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood, Washington. What should have been a fun summer outing turned tragic when a fight broke out between two groups of teenagers near the mall’s food court. During the altercation, one of the teens, 17, punched 16-year-old Samuel Gizaw in the face. In response, Gizaw pulled out a handgun, chased after the group, and fired at the teen who had struck him.

The bullet missed its intended target and instead struck Jayda, who was an innocent bystander and not involved in the dispute. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to her injuries that evening. An autopsy later determined she had been shot in the back, with the bullet hitting her right lung and heart.

The shooter, Samuel Gizaw of Edmonds, fled the mall after the shooting. Later that same night, his mother brought him to the police station, where he turned himself in to authorities. He was arrested and charged as an adult with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and juvenile in possession of a firearm. Gizaw initially pleaded not guilty, and his case proceeded through the court system for over two years.

On August 26, 2026, Samuel Gizaw, then 18, appeared in Snohomish County Superior Court. He pleaded guilty to an amended charge of second-degree murder with a firearm. In a statement to the court, Gizaw apologized for his actions and took responsibility for what he did. The case was resolved with his guilty plea as of August 2026.