Monday morning, one school in Yorba Linda was decorated with signs, photos and ribbons in turquoise — the favorite color of kindergarten student Aiden Leos, the 6-year-old who died last week after a shooting on the 55 Freeway in Orange County.
Aiden was in the car with his mother last Friday, on his way to his kindergarten classes at the school when a bullet pierced the trunk, striking him in the back.
According to Aiden's older sister, his mother didn't realize it was a gunshot until she heard him say that his stomach hurt. She was cradling her son when others pulled over to help, witnesses said.
Despite the attempts of an off-duty police officer who administered CPR until paramedics took over, Aiden died at the hospital.
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Those at his faith-based Christian school are now coming together in support of Aiden and his family, attempting to teach Aiden's young classmates how to cope with the loss and process the tragedy, using the Bible.
"We try to just lay it out to them in a very simple way, so they understand that bad things happen even to a godly situation," said Calvary Chapel pastor George Inman. "God's in control, we're trying to help them understand what that means."
"It reminds us that we're putting our hope in something greater and bigger and looking forward to that, and helping them understand that is the message of the Bible and what God's done for us," Calvary Chapel senior pastor Joshua Holiday said.
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Over the weekend, people also left balloons, flowers, candles and stuffed animals near a memorial for little Aiden on the Walnut overpass bridge. Aiden's family said they are overwhelmed by the community support.
Investigators are still looking for the shooter, and the California Highway Patrol has yet to find the white sedan involved in what they say was a case of road rage. They set up a tipline, Santaanachptipline@chp.ca.gov or 1800 TELL CHP (24/7).
