PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A new memorial garden was unveiled Friday at Roxborough High School in honor of Nicolas Elizalde, a 14-year-old student who was killed in a shooting three years ago.
Elizalde was shot and killed in 2022 following a junior varsity football scrimmage outside the school. He was not the intended target, according to police. The shooting left four other teens injured, and authorities said at least 60 shots were fired. Six arrests have been made, but no motive has been announced.
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The memorial garden, located at the site of the shooting, features native plants and perennials designed to bloom each year, symbolizing resilience and remembrance. It was created through a collaboration between community members and state leaders, who secured a grant to fund the tribute.
A plaque was also unveiled during the ceremony, which was attended by Elizalde’s mother, Meredith, school leaders, and members of the community.
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“I don’t want Nick to be remembered as a victim. I want him to be remembered as the inspiration that he is,” Meredith Elizalde said.
She also shared a deeply personal moment from the day of the shooting: “I laid right here with Nic, and I was so blessed to be able to hold him as he exited this world.”
A proclamation from Governor Josh Shapiro was read during the ceremony, and Pennsylvania State Representative Tarik Khan addressed the crowd.
“This should never have happened. This was preventable. We can prevent further tragedies like this. We have to be serious and we have to do the work,” Khan said.
Meredith Elizalde emphasized that the space now belongs to the students who continue to live and learn at Roxborough High School, hoping that steps will be taken so that no other students meet a similar fate.
“This space doesn’t belong to the moment when Nick’s life was taken. It belongs to the kids who are still here living in it,” she said.
She also shared that she is working on a book about restorative justice, combining her son’s legacy of environmental stewardship and conservation with violence prevention. The memorial garden stands as a lasting tribute to Nicolas Elizalde’s life and legacy, offering a place of reflection and hope for the community.
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