An evening meant for celebration took a tragic turn on July 2, 2019, in Worcester, Massachusetts, ending the life of 18-year-old Tafar Lewis, a Black / African American male. Known to many by his stage name "June Valentino," Lewis was an aspiring rapper with a promising future, having just graduated from the Gerald Creamer Center two weeks prior to his death. His family and friends remember him as a kind and loving individual with a great sense of humor and an infectious smile.
He was known for his passion for writing and recording music, and he also enjoyed spending time on the basketball courts with his friends.
On the night of his death, Lewis was on Gage Street near the city's annual Fourth of July festivities when gunshots shattered the festive atmosphere around 10:25 p.m. Witnesses reported hearing multiple shots, and Lewis was discovered lying wounded on the street. Neighbors rushed to his side, attempting to comfort him and control his bleeding until emergency services arrived. He was transported to a local hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Just hours before the fatal shooting, friends had seen Lewis happy and enjoying the company of his friends, making his sudden death all the more shocking to those who knew him.
In the wake of the shooting, the Worcester police launched an investigation into the homicide. Authorities explored a possible connection to another shooting that occurred about half an hour later on Shrewsbury and Lyon streets, where a 19-year-old man was wounded. However, a definitive link between the two incidents has not been publicly established. As of the latest available information, no arrests have been made in connection with Tafar Lewis's death, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The case remains an unsolved homicide, leaving a void in the lives of his family and the community that held his musical aspirations in high regard.
