Thirteen-year-old Jayda Woods-Johnson was described by her family as a firecracker who loved singing, dancing, fashion and spending time with friends. She was a Black seventh grader who dreamed of becoming an actress and was known for her laughter and playfulness.

On the evening of July 3, 2024, Jayda was at Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood, Washington, with a friend when a fight broke out between two groups of teenagers near the food court. During the altercation, 16-year-old Samuel Gizaw pulled out a handgun and fired while chasing members of the other group. The shot missed its intended target and struck Jayda in the back; she was taken to a hospital and died that evening when the bullet struck her right lung and heart.

Samuel Gizaw of Edmonds fled the scene but was brought to the police station later that night by his mother and turned himself in. He was arrested and charged as an adult; his case proceeded through the courts and was resolved in August 2026 when he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of second-degree murder with a firearm and apologized in court.

If anyone was at Alderwood Mall that night or remembers the moments leading up to the shooting, please share information that could help the family and the record of what happened.