Family mourns Fort Worth teen killed in attempted robbery

Jayden Torres is remembered by his family as an adventurous, funny and charismatic 16-year-old.

He cared about his loved ones and staying together. He had a smile that would light up a room and took pleasure in the little things like family meals and playing football for the Polytechnic High School.

The 16-year-old's life was cut short on May 26 in what Fort Worth police believe was an attempted robbery.

The teen was found in the front parking lot of a senior living community, The Spring at Silverton, at 3850 Silverton Circle, according to police.

Authorities believe someone was trying to rob Torres at the time of the shooting. No arrests have been made.

As police continue their investigation, Torres' family members are trying to learn more about the circumstances that led to his death.

“We still don’t understand why,” said Arely Perez, Torres’ cousin. His death took a toll on him as it saw him grow from a small child to a teenager.

His mother, who also lost her brother to gun violence in 2008, is also dealing with her son's death.

“It’s kind of like reopening a wound from years ago,” Perez said. Torres' mother tries to stay strong for her 4-year-old brother, Perez said.

“They took a good soul,” Perez said. “They took someone so dear to all of us…unjustly.”

Two fundraisers were held by family members to pay for the teen's funeral and memorial costs. Collectively, they raised about $3,360 on Thursday.