Da’Jon Anthony Hayes-Burr, 15, was shot Saturday night in Louisville’s Shawnee neighborhood and later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Louisville Metro Police responded to a call of a shooting near the 3800 block of Alford Avenue around 8:20 p.m. July 25, and when officers arrived, they found a teenage boy, later identified as Da’Jon Hayes-Burr, 15, who had been shot.
He was taken to the UofL Hospital, where he later died.
Early Sunday morning, LMPD said officers arrested a 14-year-old boy and charged him with murder in connection to the case.
The loss carries devastating weight in Louisville because Hayes-Burr had been newly celebrated as a hero.
Hayes-Burr and his mother, Lakeita Burr-Smith, were recognized during a May 14 Metro Council meeting for Hayes-Burr’s “heroic actions” after he was stabbed at Thunder Over Louisville while protecting a 12-year-old.
Councilwoman Crystal Bast said, “He never wanted to be called a hero, but what he did that night spoke volumes about the kind of young man he was.”
His family released a statement grieving the loss.
“Our family is devastated as we mourn the tragic and senseless loss of 15-year-old Da’Jon Hayes-Burr, whose life was taken by an act of gun violence on Saturday, July 25. Da’Jon was a remarkable young man whose courage touched the lives of so many. Earlier this year, he was recognized for selflessly stepping in to protect a young girl during Thunder Over Louisville, putting his own life at risk to keep someone else safe.”
The family added in their statement that his mother faces unimaginable loss.
“Today, his mother is facing the unimaginable heartbreak of burying her firstborn son. No parent should ever have to endure this kind of pain, and no family should have to experience such a devastating loss.”
Governor Andy Beshear released a statement honoring Hayes-Burr’s legacy.
“Da’Jon was a child of God whose life was taken far too soon, and his bravery and selflessness will leave a lasting impact on the Louisville community and our commonwealth.”
Councilwoman Bast spoke out about the cruel irony of the situation.
“He had a whole future ahead of him, and it was stolen from him,” she said.
Bast also declared, “We have babies out here killing babies. Something has to change.”
The family ended their statement with a call to action for the community.
“We also ask the community to continue praying for our family and to honor Da’Jon’s memory by choosing kindness, standing up for others, and helping us put an end to the senseless violence that continues to take the lives of our young people.”
In the viral moment that earned Hayes-Burr recognition, he and his friends were leaving
Thunder Over Louisville when a 45-year-old man directed a sexual comment at the 12-year-old girl, and her mother noted the child’s age.
The man replied, “Never too young to have some fun,” prompting her to scream for help.
Hayes-Burr and several other teenage boys rushed in, confronting the man and throwing him to the ground. During the struggle, the attacker stabbed Hayes-Burr before police intervened.
After his recovery from the stabbing, Hayes-Burr explained his instinct in an interview.
“It was a lot of grown men around. They weren’t gonna do nothing. So, we had to do something,” he said.
The man was later identified as Vasilis Sakellaridis and stabbed Da’Jon in the stomach.
Da’Jon recovered and was honored for his bravery by the Louisville Metro Council in the weeks that followed the incident.
The girl’s mother praised Hayes-Burr’s actions at the time.
“That group of kids saved us, and I’m so glad that he’s just minorly hurt,” Stasel said. “And I know he said he didn’t feel like a hero, but he will always be a hero in my book because, again, I don’t know what would have happened.”
The Louisville city council issued a proclamation honoring his “extraordinary courage, compassion and selflessness,” and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear sent him a letter and a ceremonial challenge coin.
The shooting remains under investigation.