LYNNWOODāHundreds of friends, family, and schoolmates of Jayda Woods-Johnson gathered in solidarity at the Mountlake Terrace High School football field on Sunday, July 7, clad in red shirts, Jaydaās favorite color, bearing despondence on their faces. The thirteen-year-old Jayda was tragically shot in the Alderwood Mall food court in Lynnwood on Wednesday, July 3, by a stray bulletāa result of an altercation between two teens. She was transported to a nearby medical facility but succumbed to her wounds that evening.
Jaydaās shooter, who the Lynnwood Times confirmed is a student at Kamiak High School in the Mukilteo School District, was promptly turned into law enforcement by his mother. He was released a day later on a $500 thousand bond. The sixteen-year-old now faces murder charges. A trial date has not yet been scheduled.
On September 8, 2023, fifteen-year-old Kamiak High School student Bryan Tamya was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting at a crowded bus stop on Hardeson Road in South Everett.
Pastor Sean Perez, from New Testament Christian Church, opened the vigil with a prayer saying Jesus Christ who, like Jayda, was innocent but simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
āThere are so many feelings, so many emotions that we have all been experiencing and really none of this makes any sense at all, said Pastor Perez during his prayer. āThereās feelings of sadness, feelings of despair and absolute despair. Thereās even feelings of anger, feelings of wrath, feelings of revenge to those responsible.ā
Jaydaās friend Daiquiri disagreed with Pastor Perezās sentiments saying āJayda was not at the wrong place at the wrong time, Jayda was at a place that should have been safe and should have been funānobody ever expects to go to a mall and get hit by a bullet.ā
Following Pastor Perezās words, the mic was open to any of Jaydaās friends to share a memory. A common theme shared by those who knew her best was that she was āalways kind to everyoneā and was always there for her friends.
āJayda I will always remember you. I donāt think Iāll ever forget the moments we spent together. You will forever be the world to me even though I never got to tell you. I wish I did. There were so many things I wish I told you,ā said Macy, a friend of Jaydaās, fighting back tears.
Jaydaās cousin Amber followed sharing some of her fondest memories she had with Jayda since an early age, camping, and going on road trips to Spokane.
āMy heart breaks at what happened,ā said Amber. āShe was so sweet and gorgeous. Iāve cried so much Iām convinced I have no more tears left because she meant, so, so much to me.ā
Amber last saw Jayda just three days before she died, remembering to tell her that she loved her. A few nights before that the two were having a sleepover when Amber woke up at 2 a.m. to Jayda staring at her with a big smirk on her face. Shortly after she began laughing and shot up, beginning to dance and play music. This memory, Amber shared, exemplified Jaydaās jovial, humor-driven, energy she brought to life.
Amber expressed distress to Jaydaās shooter being released on bail – another common theme of words shared by Jaydaās friends.
āHeās out walking around, having a home cooked meal, while we are having to go to an event like this,ā another friend, who did not provide her name, shared.
Lynnwood City Council members, President George Hurst, Vice President Julieta Altamirano-Crosby, and Joshua Binda shared a mic together after several of Jaydaās friends spoke, including one of her former teachers at Brier Terrace Middle School with President Hurst stating, āthoughts and prayers are great for the community but for elected officials we have a higher standard and we need to do something, we need to take action.ā
President Hurst added that him and Vice President Altamirano-Crosby have already gotten to work on organizing a town hall on gang and gun violence in the city. In the long-term, he said, elected officials need to figure out āwhatās going onā with the city.
Lynnwood City Councilman Binda shared that Jaydaās death hit too close to home, having a 14-year-old sister who frequents the Alderwood Mall with her friends.
āAs a community we need to come together and figure out whatās going on in our community, how a sixteen-year-old has a gun,ā Binda added. āItās just completely wrong and unforgettable. Something needs to change with our youth.ā
Selana Taylor, a mother who lost her son Ezra to a stray bullet on Pacific Highway in Des Moines, shared her story and that she understands what itās like to lose a child.
āIām here today to let you know that itās okay not to be okay. Itās going to moment to moment, it wonāt be day by day, itāll be moment by moment and within this loss there will be a community,ā said Taylor. āJayda will never be forgotten – I can promise you that. Iām with you, Iām standing by you, I got you because itās not easy being a parent going through what you guys are going throughā¦I know that Jayda will have justice.ā
Elected Officials in attendance at Sundayās memorial included Mountlake Terrace Mayor Matsumoto Wright, Lake Stevens Mayor Brett Gaily, WA State Rep. Lauren Davis, Lynnwood City Councilman Joshua Binda, Lynwood City Council President George Hurst, Mountlake Terrace City Councilman Dr. Steve Woodard, and Lynnwood City Council Vice President Dr. Julieta Altamirano-Crosby.
Jaydaās friend Katyi told the Lynnwood Times that Jayda was āobsessed with movies – especially horror movies.ā One of her favorites was Scream and she would commonly be spotted wearing Ghost Face merchandise while walking around school.
Katyi recounted a memory of her gifting Jayda a Ghost Face poster on Valentineās Day in honor of this adoration who, in the original 1996 slasher film, stalks and terrorizes local high school students.
āShe was just a really fun and energetic person to be around,ā Keyri told the Lynnwood Times.
She also enjoyed romance films, another one of Jaydaās friends Macy added, with one of her favorites being the Nicholas Sparks-based The Notebook.
Jayda also ran track and loved to dance, eat ramen noodles, and send āgoofy videosā to her friends. Her favorite subjects in school were art and science. She had good grades and was described by her friends as a hard worker.
The Lynnwood Times will be dedicating its Thursday issue to Jayda Woods-Johnson. Please email your words of support, remembrance of Jayda, etc. for the Johnson Family to editorial@lynnwoodtimes.com or you can comment below for it to be included in the paper. SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS 6 P.M., JULY 9.
Video of Jayda Woods-Johnson’s Vigil
Author: Kienan Briscoe
One Response
She wouldāve been in my school, in my grade, and in my broader friend group, this year had she hadnāt gone to Alderwood Mall that day. It is crazy terrible to think about how something this awful can happen to someone so young. She deserved so much more and even though I never got to meet her as I was in a different school district last year, I pray for her family and wish them the best. Fly high Jayda ššš!