Gone at Just 16: Community Grieves Teen Shot Dead in Winston-Salem—No Charges Filed
Winston-Salem is mourning the sudden loss of Jaquavion Lewis, a 16-year-old boy whose life was cut short in a tragic shooting that’s left more questions than answers. According to police, Jaquavion was found with fatal gunshot wounds Friday evening on Berl Street, near Old Walkertown and Carver School Road. Despite emergency efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators later revealed that Jaquavion may have attempted to commit a robbery during the sale of a firearm, leading to one of the people involved acting in self-defense. After reviewing the evidence, the Forsyth County District Attorney, Jim O’Neill, ruled no charges would be filed in connection to the teen’s death.
Now, the community is left grappling with a painful mix of emotions—grief, confusion, and anger. How does a teenager end up in such a situation? Why did a gun sale end in gunfire? And above all, what could have been done to prevent this?
“He was just a kid,” said one local resident. “Sixteen. He had a whole life ahead of him. Whether mistakes were made or not, that’s still someone’s child, and now he’s gone.”
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Though the shooting has been ruled self-defense by legal standards, many in the community are still grappling with a sense of injustice—not necessarily from a courtroom, but from a society that failed another young Black teen before he even had a chance to become a man.
Little is known publicly about Jaquavion’s home life or what led him to be involved in a firearm-related meeting at such a young age. But to those who knew him, he was more than the headlines.
“He had dreams, even if they got blurred,” said a former teacher who remembered Jaquavion’s sense of humor and artistic talent. “He deserved guidance, not a grave.”
On social media, tributes have poured in. Friends and classmates posted photos, heartfelt messages, and candles in his honor. The hashtag #JusticeForJaquavion began trending locally, not necessarily calling for legal punishment, but for accountability, healing, and real conversations about gun violence and youth intervention.
Winston-Salem Police Chief William Penn has repeatedly urged the community to do more to reach the youth before tragedy strikes. “Every life we lose is a failure on all our parts,” he said recently. “We’ve got to intervene sooner.”
Jaquavion Lewis’s story is a painful reminder that our youth are vulnerable, our streets are too armed, and our systems too slow to catch them before it’s too late. Whether it was self-defense or not, a young life was lost—and that deserves mourning, reflection, and action.
