In Loving Memory of G’Kiyah Lewis

In Loving Memory of G’Kiyah Lewis 

The communities of Malden and Mattapan are united in grief after the devastating and untimely loss of 18-year-old G’Kiyah Lewis, who tragically passed away following a triple shooting that took place on Saturday, October 11, 2025, on Hiawatha Road in Mattapan. What should have been an ordinary autumn night instead turned into one filled with heartbreak, anguish, and unimaginable pain — a moment that has forever changed the lives of those who knew and loved her.

According to authorities, officers responded to reports of gunfire on Hiawatha Road late that evening. When they arrived, they found three victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Among them was G’Kiyah, a bright and compassionate young woman whose future held so much promise. Despite the efforts of first responders and medical teams, she later succumbed to her injuries, leaving behind a heartbroken family, stunned friends, and two communities struggling to come to terms with such a senseless loss.

For those who knew her best, G’Kiyah Lewis was a light — a young woman filled with warmth, laughter, and dreams that stretched far beyond her years. Her family describes her as kind-hearted and determined, someone who cared deeply about others and had an infectious spirit that drew people in. She was known for her smile, the way she lifted people’s moods, and her determination to make something meaningful out of life. Her loss has left an emptiness that words can hardly capture.

In Malden, where G’Kiyah spent much of her young life, the news has been met with disbelief and sorrow. Friends, classmates, and teachers have spoken about her gentle nature and the joy she brought to those around her. Many have gathered to honor her memory, lighting candles and releasing balloons in her name. They shared stories of her kindness — of how she was always the first to offer a hand, a hug, or a word of encouragement. Her absence is deeply felt not only by those who loved her but by an entire community that watched her grow up with hope and potential.

In Mattapan, where the tragedy occurred, the heartbreak is compounded by a growing frustration over the continued toll of gun violence in the neighborhood. Residents are mourning yet another young life lost, another family left to pick up the pieces, and another community shaken to its core. The echoes of grief on Hiawatha Road are joined by calls for peace, safety, and change. “We shouldn’t have to keep burying our children,” one resident said at a vigil. “We should be celebrating their futures, not mourning their loss.”

Community leaders, clergy, and activists have come together to offer support to G’Kiyah’s family and to the other victims of the shooting. They are calling for unity, healing, and a renewed commitment to ending the violence that has claimed too many young lives. While the investigation into the shooting continues, those left behind are determined that G’Kiyah’s memory will not fade — that her life will inspire change and that her story will remind others of what’s truly at stake.

As vigils continue in both Malden and Mattapan, the flicker of candlelight reflects the pain and resilience of two communities bound together in grief. Her loved ones hold tightly to her memory — her laughter, her love for life, her dreams for the future. Though her time on earth was far too brief, G’Kiyah Lewis’s impact will endure in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know her.

Now, as her family and friends navigate unimaginable sorrow, the city stands beside them — mourning, remembering, and hoping that someday, no other family will have to endure the kind of heartbreak they now face. G’Kiyah’s name will forever be spoken with love, her spirit forever carried by the communities of Malden and Mattapan that will never forget her.