Crime & Safety
Teen Dies In Overnight Shooting Near Worcester Fireworks Show
Two separate shootings happened, leaving one 18-year-old dead and a 19-year-old injured.
WORCESTER, MA — Tuesday night's Fourth of July celebration in Worcester ended in tragedy when two shootings nearby left one teen dead and another injured. Worcester police are investigating the two separate shootings to see if they are related.
Shortly after the city's fireworks show in East Park concluded, police got a call about gunshots around Gage Street. When they got to the scene they found an 18-year-old on the ground, who had been shot. Police said they immediately noticed the wound was serious and gave him medical attention. The teen was pronounced dead at the hospital.
A friend of the teen identified him as Tafar Lewis, a rapper who went by the name June Valentino, according to Mass Live. Police have not released the teen's name yet. Lewis' friend, Zachary Tyler, told Mass live the shooting was "senseless in every definition of the word." Facebook posts under the name June Valentino showed community members mourning his death.
On the same night Lewis was shot, half an hour later police got another call for shots fired, this time near Shrewsbury and Lyon Street. When they got to the scene, they found a 19-year-old who had been shot after getting into an argument with a man on Shrewsbury Street. Police said he was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police are asking if you have information about this incident, please send an anonymous text to 274637 TIPWPD + your message or send an anonymous web based message at worcesterma.gov/police. Calls can also be made to the Worcester Police Detective Bureau at (508) 799-8651.
