Teen Shot Dead at Raleigh Home After Fight Over Designer Jeans

Cayden Alston-Arnold spent the morning of Friday, March 21, at his family's home on Springshire Court in the Walnut Creek neighborhood off Sunnybrook Road, hoping to sell a pair of designer jeans. He was 15 years old, a freshman at Southeast Raleigh High School, and the only child of his father, CJ Alston. By the time Raleigh police arrived at 11:50 a.m., Cayden had been shot inside his own house. He died from his injuries later that night.

Alston said his son was trying to sell the jeans when two boys came to the house in the 1400 block of Springshire Court near Sunnybrook Road. When the boys refused to pay for the jeans and Cayden refused to hand them over without payment, one of the boys shot him.

Alston said he believes the juvenile came to the house when his son wasn't expecting them, adding that "they were supposed to be his friends." Ring camera footage told a more troubling story. Alston said the Ring timestamps showed the entire incident unfolded in roughly 15 minutes; according to that footage, the boys arrived at 11:36 a.m. and police were on scene by 11:51 a.m.

The teens were acting suspicious before entering the home, allegedly walking around the house, trying to figure out access points, and asking questions about which room belonged to Cayden. Alston said, "I heard them on the Ring camera. They were like, 'Oh, he's probably asleep.'"

"I really thought they were his friends. I would have never allowed those boys in the house if I would've known they weren't his friends," Alston said.

"Cayden was in here running around... trying to clean up his own blood. From the bathroom, the closet door, the kitchen. Everywhere," Alston said. Alston-Arnold was taken to the hospital, where he died from his injuries. He was 15 years old. "They said they were able to sew his heart back up, but it just didn't start beating," Alston said.

Neighbor Ozzie Abrams struggled to absorb what had happened on the quiet Walnut Creek cul-de-sac. "It was so shocking," Abrams said. "Cayden got shot, and I said, oh. At his own house... at his own house." Abrams remembered the teenager fondly: "That is a nice kid. It was only a couple days ago he came by and said Ozzie, you got some snacks?"

Raleigh police said late Friday night that a juvenile suspect was in custody. A juvenile petition has been filed against the teen accused of shooting Cayden. Because of the suspect's age, police have not released his identity. Raleigh Police issued a statement saying, "This is an ongoing investigation. More details will be released at the appropriate time."

Alston told WRAL News his son played basketball and dreamed of being a star in the NBA, adding that he was well-cared for and would be missed. "Cayden was my only kid," Alston said, with a message for young people: "I just want to let the youth know, leave the guns alone.