Community Members Mourn the Death of Aayden Hayes

Holding candles and purple and blue balloons, hundreds of people gathered in Bellevue’s Red Caboose Park on Wednesday evening to honor the life of 13-year-old Aayden Hayes, who was shot and killed at the park May 29 during a fight between two groups of teenagers. On Wednesday, candles were laid out in the spot where he was killed. Aayden's 16-year-old sister An'Raya was also shot and wounded that night. 

Fifteen-year-old De’Anthony Osasosifo is being charged with criminal homicide and attempted criminal homicide in connection with the shooting. 

“Aayden — if it wasn’t for him, I really wouldn’t be standing here right now,” said An'Raya. “I think about that day every day, every night before I go to sleep. It is hard. … And I’m trying to do this for him, because I know this is what he would want me to do. And I’m trying to live for him and keep his name, so everybody knows that he died for a purpose.”

An'Raya was one of several people who spoke Wednesday night. Loved ones shared stories about Aayden, including a young boy who talked about how he and Aayden would play and tell stories together. Aayden’s mother Hope Leach talked about how sweet her young teenager was, and how he would always give her a hug and a kiss before and after school.

“He just brought so much joy to our lives, and he was his sisters’ keeper — he loved his sisters,” said Leach. “If you messed with his sisters, he’d be right there to defend them, even though he was the baby. His brother told him, take care of his sisters, and that’s what he did.”

“I just want him to fly high,” said Leach's partner Jonathan Shaw. “I just want parents to come together, us grown people, and we need to come together to stop gun violence for these kids. … [His mother] shouldn’t be going through this, no mother should be going through this, no mother should be burying their child, especially not their baby. Especially not Aayden.”

A spokesperson from the Metro Nashville Police Department tells the Scene that of the seven homicide victims this year who were younger than 17 years old, six of them were gunshot victims. 

Local gun safety advocates attended the event, including Rafiah Muhammad-McCormick and Trina Anderson of Mothers Over Murder, a group that was created to support parents who have lost children to gun violence. Covenant School parent Sarah Shoop Neumann, who also spoke at the vigil, created a GoFundMe campaign for the family. 

“The cost of gun violence, especially when you have a surviving victim in addition to one you lost, is astronomical,” said Neumann. “This family needs our support, physically and tangibly.” 

Rep. Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville), who represents the area where Aayden was shot, also attended the vigil. He said the situation made him feel “powerless.”

“Another parent is burying a child, and the Tennessee General Assembly just refuses to do anything,” said Mitchell. The state’s Republican supermajority has relaxed firearm regulations in recent years, refusing to pass meaningful gun safety legislation.

Though many tears were shed at the vigil, there were also enthusiastic shouts as attendees celebrated Aayden’s life. People cheered, “Long live Aayden,” as they released balloons. Many shouted “Forever 13!”

See Hamilton Matthew Masters' photos from the vigil above.