Hundreds of mourners filled the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Baptist Church in the Highlands with hope and sorrow Monday, in remembering slain 12-year-old Alajawan Shakur Brown.

The church’s sanctuary rang out with music and song, at the same time tears flowed freely. Alajawan’s own big personality and the stories of friends and family, and even strangers, provided an ever-present personal backdrop for the sad day.

His house in Skyway is a lot quieter now that he’s gone. No more will he wage a friendly cooking war with his dad Louis Brown. His mother Ayanna affectionately calls him Peter Pan.

Alajawan was gunned down April 29 as he walked home from the bus stop on Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. He was caught in the crossfire of a violent argument at the Cedar Village Apartments on South 129th Street.

He had just bought football cleats at Walmart to get ready for the football season.

Alajawan wore the No. 77 jersey for the Renton Rangers. While holding it up for the mourners to see, a coach said No. 77 would be retired in honor of the young football player.

“He loved the game,” said the coach. Alajawan got particularly pumped when the team played Rainier Beach, the team’s archrival.

Rev. Jerry Lee, pastor of the Destiny Unlimited Faith Ministries, said the day was difficult for family and friends and the community at large.

“He will be missed,” Lee said. “That healing will take time.”

Fuhyda Rogers performed a praise dance, near Alajawan’s family, including his mother and father in the front row, and the casket that bore his body.

Among the numerous speakers was county Sheriff Sue Rahr, who stood at the back of the church sanctuary for much of the service.

“Our entire community has lost a young man with so much promise,” said Rahr.

She said she failed Alajawan and asked those in the room to “never let this happen again.” The mourners rose in applause.

She stepped down and hugged Alajawan’s family, which had expressed hope that something good would come from his death.

The Sheriff’s Office has received some tips from the public, but none that has led investigators to the Alajawan’s killer, said Sgt. John Urquhart, a sheriff’s spokesman.

The service lasted about two hours. Afterward, the mourners gathered at Harambee in downtown Renton for a slide show, food and more remembering.

The program for Alajawan’s service had the bookends of his young life.

• Opening Act, July 8, 1997, 2:02 p.m.

• Final Performance, April 29, 2010, 6:30 p.m.

The photo shows Alajawan, smiling, holding a football and helmet, wearing the red and white No. 77.