Homicide Unit detectives this morning swore out criminal homicide and attempted criminal homicide charges against De’Anthony Osasosifo, 15, in connection with Wednesday night’s fatal shooting of Aayden Hayes, 13, and the non-lethal wounding of Hayes’ 16-year-old sister at Red Caboose Park in Bellevue.
The shooting occurred just before 8 p.m. The wounded 16-year-old made it to the fire station adjacent to the park where she received emergency medical care and was transported to Vanderbilt. Aayden Hayes was found by responding officers on the parking lot pavement suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to Vanderbilt where he was pronounced deceased.
Based on information from witnesses, West Precinct officers immediately began looking for the shooter. Osasosifo, who matched the description provided, was found walking on Highway 70 a quarter to half mile away from the park. He was detained. During an interview at police headquarters, Osasosifo admitted to having a gun and shooting it during a fight among teens at Red Caboose Park. The gun he is suspected of using was located by a specially trained ATF dog in the darkness along Osasosifo’s flight path. The gun, a nine-millimeter semi-automatic, was reported stolen from a vehicle in Murfreesboro in 2023.
The investigation to this point shows that two groups of teens met at the park to fight concerning an on-going dispute between girls from each group. During the fight, things escalated, and Osasosifo is alleged to have opened fire with the pistol.