Fifteen-year-old Aryion AJ Clendenning was fatally shot on January 11, 2025, while playing in the snow outside the Magnolia Pointe Apartments on Danube Lane in Durham, North Carolina. Emergency responders took him to a local hospital, where he died. AJ was a sophomore at Riverside High School who loved football, video games, and dancing; family and friends remembered his vibrant, joyful spirit at a funeral held at Peace Missionary Baptist Church and at a community balloon release.

In the weeks after the killing a 14-year-old male was arrested and charged with first-degree murder; his name has not been released because of his age. Authorities say the suspect is also linked to multiple vehicle break-ins and a high-speed chase in which shots were fired at a state trooper in Orange County, and faces additional charges including attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and possession of stolen firearms.

AJ’s mother, Taniesha Baines, publicly voiced her heartbreak and called for justice. Does anyone who knew AJ or saw activity around Magnolia Pointe Apartments in January 2025 have information to share?