02-07-2025
'He wasn't some gangster.' Family says teen shot and killed after going to friend's home
In a string of recent homicides, Jaylon Hayden's family doesn't want people to gloss over their grief or write him off as another statistic.
His shooting death capped a weekend that saw seven people killed and at least nine people injured in shootings across Indianapolis. The 18-year-old joins two other teens who lost their lives in a separate shooting.
His mother, Shianna Hayden, told IndyStar her son was a lovable person.
Jaylon Hayden was her oldest of three boys and was into mechanics and cars. He planned to go to trade school and eventually own a shop after serving in the military. Understanding how quickly technology is advancing, he wanted to be ahead of the curve and not limit himself.
"He was pushing through the fear of going into the military," Shianna Hayden said. "He was speaking with different people to learn more and wanted to join for the benefits, the discipline, and to use what he learned toward his dreams."
The teen was previously a student at Crispus Attucks High School, but unenrolled himself earlier this year to join an accelerated program. His mother didn't agree at first, but he explained that he didn't want to be surrounded by distractions. He often spoke about trying to evade certain peer pressures at school.
"He was always very good at acknowledging the real from the fake in things and people," his brother, Kevin Hayden, told IndyStar. "He never put himself in a position that would make him uncomfortable."
Even with him being so sure of himself, Shianna Haydon worried.
Raised with both of his parents in a Christian household, the mother said she was strict, but after her son turned 18, he was granted more freedom. She would warn him about being around certain people.
Jaylon Hayden, 18, fatally shot on North Butler Avenue
Just before 4 a.m., on June 30, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were called to the 3500 block of North Butler Avenue for a person shot. Officers found a Jaylon Hayden shot at a home near Wes Montgomery Park on the city's east side. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition but later died.
Shianna Hayden said he was at his best friend's house when other people showed up. Some of those people, the mother was told, had issues with her son. But what led to the shooting remains under investigation.
Four hours before his death, he'd texted his cousin Siniya Mincey, 21, to pick him up, but she didn't see the message.
"He wasn't a bad kid, period," Mincey told IndyStar. "He didn't deserve this."
Ki'ayjah Pierson has known Jaylon Hayden since they were 11 years old, and said she doesn't want people to assume that, as a young Black man, he must have done anything to deserve being shot and killed.
"He wasn't some gangster," Pierson said. "He was a Godfearing man."
Shianna Hayden said his death was unexpected because her son had a support system. Even though he'd make his own decisions once he turned 18, she said her son was never a fool.
"We believe in God almighty and we're just praying for each other," Hayden said. "As a mother, I don't expect people to know how I feel. 'Cause I know even when the smoke clears, and justice is served, and people move on, you're still left dealing with the internal struggles."
The family has created a GoFundMe for the 18-year-old's funeral costs. No arrests or suspects have been announced by police in this case.
Anyone with any information on Hayden's death is asked to contact Detective Christopher Winter at 317-327-3475 or email him at Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477, by downloading the mobile P3tips app, or visiting
