On March 3, 2020, 15-year-old Anthony Michael Castillo, a Hispanic male, was shot inside Desert Sky Mall in Phoenix, Arizona after a verbal dispute between two groups of young people escalated. The confrontation turned violent, and Anthony was shoved and then shot in the head around 3:30 p.m. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition and died the next day, March 4, 2020.

Police identified and located 27-year-old Daymond Deray Hayes and arrested him on March 5, 2020, near Central Avenue and Broadway Road. Hayes told investigators he believed Anthony was armed and said he acted in self-defense; no weapon was found on the teenager.

Anthony’s family established a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses and decided to donate his organs. Anthony is remembered by his relatives as caring and always looking out for others. If anyone witnessed the confrontation at Desert Sky Mall or has information about what happened that afternoon, please come forward.