On January 10, 2024, six-year-old Aylayna Lee Key Rider Ross tragically lost her life in a shooting incident at her family's townhome in Dallas, Texas. At approximately 2:40 p.m., Dallas police responded to reports of a shooting in the 2100 block of North Fitzhugh Avenue, where they found Aylayna with a critical gunshot wound. She was immediately transported to a local hospital but, despite medical efforts, succumbed to her injuries.
The investigation revealed that Aylayna was in the residence with two adults and two other children when the incident occurred. Among those present was 19-year-old Damariya Sowels, a friend of Aylayna's older brother. Sowels admitted to bringing two firearms into the home, placing a loaded MAC-10 on top of a PlayStation console in a third-floor bedroom. Following the shooting, he attempted to conceal the weapons by hiding them in a backpack in the garage. Sowels was subsequently arrested and charged with tampering with physical evidence, along with facing unrelated warrants for evading arrest and unlawful carrying of a weapon.
This devastating event compounded the grief of Aylayna's family, as they were already mourning the loss of her 14-year-old brother, Ah'bralen Rider. Ah'bralen had been fatally shot on December 29, 2023, in what authorities believe was an incident involving celebratory gunfire. A 16-year-old male suspect was arrested in connection with Ah'bralen's death, facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and manslaughter.
The back-to-back tragedies have left the family and community in profound shock and sorrow. Neighbors and loved ones have expressed deep sympathy, emphasizing the need for responsible firearm storage to prevent such heartbreaking incidents. As the family grapples with the unimaginable loss of two children within weeks, they are urging others to ensure that firearms are securely stored, especially in households with young children, to avert further senseless tragedies.
