On August 31, 1996, Alaijo was talking to his girlfriend on the front porch of the residence at 3950 NE Garfield. While they were talking, someone approached him and his girlfriend from behind and shot Alaijo several times. He passed away on the way to the hospital.

It had been reported that there were numerous gang shootings in the area before Alaijo's and, even though he knew gang members in both the Crips and Bloods, Alaijo was not a gang member and had no criminal record.