NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Halloween night that was supposed to be fun nearly ended a teenager's life after shots were fired into a crowd gathered for an outdoor party.
Jay'Ln Hodge was one of four teenagers taken to the hospital after the shooting in the 2600 block of Jefferson Street early Sunday morning.
He underwent nearly 12 hours of surgery to save his life.
"He was shot down by his ankle in his shin, and it traveled up to his thigh," said his aunt, Shai.
Family members gathered at Vanderbilt University Medical Center Sunday while Jay'Ln was in surgery.
"Just to make sure we were here, and he can see us all when he wakes up," Shai said.
Jay'Ln was taken to the ICU following surgery.
When asked how it felt to learn he had made it through the surgery, Shai said, "It was a relief."
"I mean he's a good kid and just wanted to go out and have fun on Halloween, and this is how it ended," Shai said.
Jay'Ln turns 15 on Monday. His family describes him as fashion-forward, social and academically driven.
"He is very into fashion, he likes looking good. He has a large group of friends, he's very very book smart," Shai said.
Doctors told Shai his prognosis is positive, but the road ahead will be difficult.
"They're saying it looks good, but it's going to be a long road," Shai said.
This is not the first time the Hodge family has faced tragedy. Shai said Jay'Ln's mother was shot and killed in Nashville in 2014.
Police said at least some of the shots fired Sunday morning came from a vehicle. In addition to Jay'Ln, a 16-year-old girl was critically wounded, and an 18-year-old was also taken to Vanderbilt for treatment. Police said a 15-year-old boy was brought to General Hospital where he initially said he was wounded somewhere else, then said he was on Jefferson Street. He was also transferred to Vanderbilt.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact Nashville Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
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