A college volleyball player studying to become a nurse is being remembered for her kindness and generosity after she was killed in Columbia, Missouri, when a man allegedly opened fire into a crowd.
Police say 21-year-old Aiyanna Williams died early Saturday morning, September 27, after being shot along with two other bystanders. The gunfire broke out near Ninth Street and Broadway following an unrelated argument. Officers said the victims were not involved in the dispute.
According to the Columbia Police Department, 23-year-old Misael Covarrubias was arrested minutes later and now faces charges of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action. He is being held without bond at Boone County Jail.
Police said they responded around 1:40 a.m. and found one man and two women with gunshot wounds. All three were rushed to University Hospital, where Williams later died from her injuries.
Williams was a senior at Stephens College, a small women’s college in Columbia. She was a member of the volleyball team and was working toward a nursing degree. Her teammates and classmates described her as someone who radiated compassion and determination both on and off the court.
Local station KRCG reported that after being taken to the hospital, Williams was declared brain dead but was kept on life support so she could fulfill her wish to be an organ donor. Her decision, school officials said, reflected her true character.
“Even in death, Aiyanna’s generosity and care for others endures,” Stephens College said in a statement to the outlet. “Her decision to be an organ donor reflects her commitment to the welfare of others and her calling to be a nurse.”
The Columbia Missourian reported that a vigil was held for her that same evening at the Firestone Baars Chapel on campus. Dozens gathered to honor her memory with candles, prayers, and tears. The volleyball team postponed its scheduled game that day, and the athletics department released a statement mourning the loss of a teammate they called “a cherished presence on our campus.”
The college said Williams embodied “compassion, joy, and determination,” and her decision to donate her organs was described as a lasting gift to others that reflected the kind of person she was.
Friends and teammates say she was the kind of student who lit up a room and had a clear passion for helping people. She was known not just as an athlete but as a young woman determined to dedicate her life to nursing, a career built on care and service.
As the investigation continues and charges move forward, Williams’ family, friends, and college community are left grieving the sudden loss. Her legacy, however, lives on in the people who will benefit from her final act of generosity and in the hearts of those who knew her best.