On a summer evening, just before the Fourth of July in 2024, the life of a 13-year-old girl named Jayda Woods-Johnson was tragically cut short. She was at the Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood, Washington, on July 3rd with a friend, enjoying a day of shopping and fun like any other teenager. What should have been a safe and enjoyable outing turned into a scene of violence when an altercation broke out between two groups of teenagers near the food court.
Jayda was an innocent bystander, not involved in the dispute, when one of the teens involved in the conflict pulled out a handgun and fired at least one shot. The bullet missed its intended target and struck Jayda. She was quickly transported to a nearby hospital but succumbed to her injuries that evening. An autopsy later revealed that she was shot in the back, with the bullet hitting her right lung and heart.
The suspected shooter, identified as 16-year-old Samuel Gizaw from Edmonds, fled the scene after the shooting. However, later that same night, his mother brought him to the police station where he turned himself in. Gizaw was subsequently arrested and booked for murder. He has since been charged as an adult with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, the incident began when Gizaw was punched in the face by another teenager during the altercation. In response, Gizaw allegedly pulled out a gun and fired at the teen who had struck him, but the shot tragically hit Jayda instead. The gun used in the shooting has not been recovered, and authorities have appealed to the public for help in locating it. The case is now proceeding through the adult court system.
