Police said the shooting happened outside Southwest Elementary School as children played soccer.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — An 18-year-old man has been charged after police said he fatally shot a teenage boy and a mother of eight during a dispute over a soccer game outside Southwest Elementary School.
Rafael Martinez-Lopez faces two counts of open murder, two felony firearm charges and three additional weapons charges in the deaths of 15-year-old Jeremiah Griffin-Cuevas and 39-year-old Savanah Villarreal, Grand Rapids police said. The shooting happened Tuesday evening, May 5, on school property in the city’s Roosevelt Park area. Police said Martinez-Lopez was arrested shortly after the gunfire and remained in custody ahead of arraignment.
Officers were called about 6:40 p.m. to the area of Oakland Avenue SW and Rumsey Street SW after reports of gunfire. First responders found the teen and Villarreal on the grounds of Southwest Elementary School with life-threatening gunshot wounds. Police said the boy died at the scene. Villarreal was taken to a hospital, where she later died. A Kent County medical examiner ruled both deaths homicides. Interim Grand Rapids Police Chief Joe Trigg said children were playing soccer near the school when Martinez-Lopez approached and asked to join. “For whatever reason, he was turned away,” Trigg said. Police said the refusal led to a verbal argument, then gunfire.
Trigg said the gunman first shot the teen and then targeted Villarreal after she tried to intervene. “The adult female had came to the aid, verbally, of the juvenile victim so then she was targeted,” Trigg said. Authorities said at least seven or eight young people saw the shooting. No other injuries were reported. Police said Martinez-Lopez fled the scene but was found and arrested not long after the attack. Investigators have not released a full account of where he was arrested, whether the gun was recovered or what happened in the moments before the argument turned violent. Police have not said whether Martinez-Lopez knew the victims before the shooting.
Family members said Villarreal was supervising the children because of earlier problems near the field. Her relatives described her as protective, selfless and deeply involved in the lives of neighborhood children. Angelita Tierrablanca, Villarreal’s sister, said Villarreal loved children and often stepped in when they needed help. Jeremiah was a friend of one of Villarreal’s sons, relatives said. Mildred Griffin, Jeremiah’s mother, said Villarreal and her son were close. “She gave her life to save my son,” Griffin said. “He considered Savanah his auntie.” Family members said Jeremiah was loved by relatives and friends, and one close family friend described him as caring and “a joy to be around.”
The deaths shook a neighborhood where children often use the school grounds and nearby field to play. Residents and relatives gathered at a memorial after the shooting, leaving flowers and remembering the victims. Donny Irving, a resident who visited the site, said the loss hit the wider community because the shooting happened where young people should have been safe. “It’s just hard,” Irving said. Grand Rapids Public Schools closed Southwest Elementary School and nearby Southwest Middle High School on Wednesday so students and staff could process the deaths. Southwest Elementary also canceled classes Thursday, opening briefly from noon to 2 p.m. for crisis support and sack lunches.
District officials said Southwest Middle High School resumed classes Thursday and Southwest Elementary was expected to resume classes Friday with added counseling and support resources for students and families. Police said the trauma was especially severe because several juveniles witnessed the shooting. “This kind of senseless violence just hits differently, even for long-serving officers like myself,” Trigg said. “We are grieving alongside their loved ones and our community.” He also commended officers for rendering aid, securing the scene, arresting the suspect without more violence and building the case that led to charges.
The criminal case now moves to Kent County court. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said Martinez-Lopez was expected to be arraigned Friday. Open murder in Michigan allows prosecutors to proceed before deciding whether the evidence supports first-degree murder, second-degree murder or another homicide offense. Police said the Grand Rapids Police Department’s Major Case Team is continuing the investigation. Detectives are expected to review witness statements, physical evidence, medical examiner findings and any video from the area. Police have not released a motive beyond the dispute over the soccer game, and no court statement from Martinez-Lopez or an attorney was publicly available Thursday.
The shooting began as a brief confrontation over a pickup game and ended with two families planning funerals. As of Friday, May 8, Martinez-Lopez was charged, the two schools were moving toward normal schedules with added support, and detectives were continuing to collect evidence for court.
Author note: Last updated May 8, 2026.