‘He’s a hero’: Kansas City mom was shot five times. Her 1-year-old son was killed.
Nine days ago, Juju Payton was shot five times. She has undergone two surgeries and expects at least one more operation.
But the emotional pain is what is more difficult.
The Sept. 21 shooting left her 1-year old son Tyron dead.
“He’s a hero,” Payton said Wednesday, during a call from the hospital.
Her husband, Robert Payton, who was also shot, has been discharged from the hospital.
Kansas City police have not made an arrest in the triple shooting. The family as well as a fourth person were sitting in a car in the 2900 block of East 33rd Street when at least one person opened fire.
Juju Payton said someone carrying “a huge gun” approached them.
Moments after a barrage of shots rang out, the driver went to a nearby fire station and they were transported to a hospital where Tyron died.
“It’s unbelievable,” Juju Payton said.
The family moved from Chicago to Kansas City about four years ago so she could start a new job as a correctional officer in Topeka. She currently works for Kansas City Public Schools as a dropout prevention specialist.
Juju Payton, who has two stepchildren, tried for several years to get pregnant. After going through treatments, Tyron was born. She said he was a miracle.
Tyron, who would have turned 2 on Nov. 10, loved his puppy and helping his sister, Juju Payton said. He was starting to try to talk and was strong. She recalled her amazement when he would pick up heavy objects like a gallon of water.
“He was like a grown man in a little body,” Juju Payton said.
Her husband has helped get her through the past week-and-a-half.
“Emotionally, I have dreams, man,” she said. When she wakes up from them, she realizes her reality — she is still in the hospital and her son is gone.
Juju Payton said she did not understand how people could shoot a child and said that the violence “is breaking our future.”
Tyron’s death was the 148th homicide this year in Kansas City. 2020 is on pace to become the deadliest year on record for homicides in the city with 150 killings to date.
Mayor Quinton Lucas on Wednesday announced a new violent crime fighting effort called Reform Project KC.
Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
Gun violence will be the subject of a new, statewide journalism project The Star is undertaking in Missouri this year in partnership with the national service program Report for America and sponsored in part by Missouri Foundation for Health. As part of this project, The Star will seek the community’s help.
To contribute, visit Report for America online at reportforamerica.org.
This story was originally published September 30, 2020 at 7:50 PM.
