Dejuane Aki Hayden, 30-year-old rapper, died in a shooting involved with Jacksonville Police officer Bradley Griffitts on Thursday, October 10, 2024. It happened while Hayden was apparently live on Facebook, listening to Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us.”
According to the JSO, police were conducting surveillance on subjects believed to be affiliated with gangs when they approached Hayden and two other. Witnesses described a confrontational scene, saying people were “flashing guns back and forth.” As police neared the trio, Hayden is said to have ran away, drawing a gun, at which time Office Bradley Griffitts fired his weapon.
This incident has whipped up a wave of concern amongst its residents, many demanding transparency. A video being forwarded on social media seems to show moments that led up to the shooting, but JSO has ensured it does not capture the actual shooting. Release of body camera footage has become a demand by this community to shed light on what happened.
Dejuane Aki Hayden was an impassioned artist who put his heart into every lyric in his song. With hard-biting rhymes and raw storytelling, Hayden often had a unique way of connecting with his listeners. His songs could often speak to those living through similar dilemmas, having reflected the struggles of life in Jacksonville.
Experiences, both positive and negative alike, played the huge part in Hayden’s creative process. Many interviews that he has ever held claim that his fans deserved to hear the raw, honest truth when it came down to his music. “I want my music to be real,” he once said in an interview. “I write about what I know, and I know the streets.” This made him popular locally within the rap scene.
It is part of the bigger story that goes on with gang and drug investigations in Jacksonville. Hayden was under surveillance from the JSO based on his association with these known gang members. None of these incidents are related to previous occurrences involving Officer Griffitts, but an indication of a constant problem in violence and crime.
Officer Bradley Griffitts has been involved in two officer-involved shootings within the past six years. Questions are quickly raised about his history and the continuing issue of police conduct.
Life was not easy for Hayden, and he’d had his share of legal problems: by September 2023, Duval County had an active case against him. Perhaps, that is what had touched his music and the spoken word of messages in them. Despite this, he was deeply devoted to his art and community.
The community’s reaction toward the death of Hayden was marked by grief and anger. Tributes have poured in across social media platforms, with fans and supporters sharing heartfelt condolences and memories of the late rapper. “He was more than just a rapper; he was a voice for us,” commented one fan on social media. “His music spoke to our struggles and our dreams.”
As the investigation into the shooting continues, residents are left trying to make sense of this tragedy. The call for accountability and transparency from law enforcement now rings louder than ever. We want to know about the circumstances of Hayden’s death, and really about the officers involved.
