On a warm summer evening in Boston, on August 20, 2017, the life of a 30-year-old African-American woman named Nakieka Taylor was tragically cut short. Known affectionately as Kiki, she was a beloved figure in her Roxbury neighborhood. Just after 9:30 p.m. at the Warren Gardens apartment complex on Walnut Avenue, chaos erupted as gunshots rang out.
Nakieka had been either walking from a friend's apartment to her own home or sitting on her family's patio when she was struck by a bullet.
Her mother, Nannie Taylor, heard the shots from inside their apartment and ran downstairs to find her daughter on the ground. Nakieka told her mother she couldn't feel her legs. She was rushed to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. The bullet had struck her in the stomach, causing fatal internal bleeding. Neighbors described a scene of panic, with children who had been playing outside running for cover into any open door.
Family, friends, and neighbors were united in their belief that Nakieka was not the intended target of the shooting. They remembered her as a kind and joyful person who loved everyone and had no enemies. She was a dedicated lifeguard for the city of Boston, working at city pools and the Boys and Girls Club, a job she loved because she enjoyed saving lives. She was remembered for her bright smile and her willingness to do anything for anybody.
In the wake of the shooting, a makeshift memorial of flowers and candles spelling out her nickname "Kiki" appeared where she fell. Despite the police investigation and pleas from her grieving family for justice, no arrests have ever been made in connection with her death. One witness reported seeing a man with a gun run off towards Warren Street after the shooting, but this lead has not resulted in any suspects being publicly identified. The case remains unsolved, leaving a void in the community and a family still waiting for answers.
