What happened to Ah'Laynah Ross? Suspect arrested as 6-year-old shot dead by unsecured gun in Dallas

In an incident that unfolded on Wednesday, January 10, in an Old East Dallas apartment, a 6-year-old girl, identified as Ah'Laynah Ross, lost her life to a tragic shooting. This occurred while her mother was away making funeral arrangements for her teenage son, who had fallen victim to gun violence just last month. Demariya Sowels was arrested following his admission to concealing the firearm used in the 6-year-old's shooting death at the Old East Dallas residence.

The sequence of events began around 2:30 p.m. when Ah'Laynah Ross was fatally shot. Emergency services were promptly summoned, and she was rushed to Children's Medical Center in Dallas. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of medical professionals, Ah'Laynah was pronounced dead at 3:20 p.m., as reported by KXAS.

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19-year-old Demariya Sowels was apprehended for charges of tampering with physical evidence

Dallas Police received a distressing call about a shooting at approximately 2:40 p.m. on the 2100 block of North Fitzhugh Avenue. Upon arrival, officers found an injured child and quickly arranged for her transportation to Children's Medical Center, where she was declared dead on arrival.

The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office formally identified the young victim as Ah'Laynah Ross on Thursday. Police informed that at the time of the incident, the 6-year-old was inside the residence with two adults and two juveniles. Disturbingly, two unsecured and loaded guns were found atop a PlayStation in a bedroom, as reported by CrimeOnline.

Demariya Sowels, 19, was apprehended on the charges of evidence tampering directly linked to the shooting. He also bears additional warrants not connected with the incident.

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New details emerge in the Dallas shooting

New details have emerged in the that claimed the life of 6-year-old Ah'Laynah Ross. The young girl was fatally shot in an Old East Dallas apartment, and now, revelations about the events leading up to the incident have come to the fore.

The situation unfolded while Ah'Laynah Ross's mother was away at a funeral home, making arrangements for the burial of her 14-year-old son, Ah'bralen Rider. Rider lost his life after being found shot near Harry Hines and Oak Lawn on December 29.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News, Demariya Sowels, the 19-year-old suspect in custody, admitted to bringing two guns—a MAC-10 and a Glock—into the home on Tuesday. He left one of these firearms lying on top of a PlayStation in a third-floor bedroom.

After the fatal shooting, Sowels admitted to putting the MAC 10, which was allegedly used in the incident, and the Glock into a backpack, which he then concealed in the garage, intending to "impair its availability as evidence in the investigation of the shooting," according to the police affidavit.

Crime scene investigators later discovered the hidden guns in the backpack during a search of the home, providing critical evidence for the ongoing investigation.

As of now, Sowels is being held on a $100,000 bond. The outstanding warrants, which charged him with evading arrest and unlawful weapon carrying, have contributed to his continued custody. Bail has been set at $104,000, and whether Sowels currently has legal representation remains unclear.

A woman who identified herself as the little girl’s aunt informed the police that Ah'Laynah's mother was in the process of arranging the funeral for her 14-year-old son, Ah’bralen Rider.

Aylayna's grandfather, Michael Key, expressed the family's devastation, saying, “She was my road dog. She was a tremendous little girl. She was smart.”