An 18-year-old has been charged with killing a 39-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy outside a Grand Rapids school Tuesday evening, according to the Kent County prosecutor.
Rafael Martinez-Lopez, 18, was charged Thursday with two counts of open murder, carrying a weapon with an unlawful intent, violation of a school weapons-free zone, carrying a concealed weapon and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Martinez-Lopez allegedly killed Jeremiah Cuevas-Griffin, 15, and Savanah Villarreal, 39, said Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker. Family identified the woman as a mother of seven ranging in age from 3 to 17, according to WOODTV8.com.
Grand Rapids Interim Police Chief Joe Trigg said during a press conference Tuesday that a man approached a group of kids just before 6:40 p.m. that evening who were playing at a park near Southwest Elementary Academia Bilingüe and asked to “engage in a game of soccer.”
The man was turned away, Trigg said. The man got into a verbal altercation with the kids playing soccer, including Jeremiah, and Villarreal came to the boy’s defense in the argument. Villarreal intervened in the argument and that made her a target, Trigg said.
Martinez-Lopez fled after the shooting and was arrested at a later time, Trigg said.
Classes were canceled at Southwest Elementary School on Wednesday and Thursday, according to Grand Rapids Public Schools. A crisis response team was available for students. When classes resume Friday, additional counseling and support resources will be available for students and families.
“Thank you for your patience, compassion, and support for one another during this difficult time. Our thoughts remain with everyone impacted by this tragedy,” the district’s statement said.
Jeremiah’s family created a GoFundMe account to raise funds for his funeral. In an update, family said a church would be helping with Jeremiah’s funeral costs.
“Jeremiah Cuevas was a young man whose life was taken far too soon. As our family grieves this unexpected and heartbreaking loss, we are reaching out to our community for help to cover the costs associated with his funeral, burial plot, and repass,” according to the GoFundMe.
“Jeremiah was an amazing and bright young man — everyone who knew him loved his sweet and gentle spirit. This is a tremendous loss for all who knew him, including his friends, family, and the entire community at Dickinson Elementary, where he will be deeply missed.”
kberg@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Teen charged with murder of Grand Rapids mom, teen over soccer dispute
Reporting by Kara Berg, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
