Local News

Family and friends hold vigil at Malden bowling alley for Mass. native slain in Lewiston shooting

Steve Vozzella, part of Maine's deaf community, was one of the 18 victims killed in a Maine mass shooting last week. His family and friends came together to hold a vigil for the Massachusetts native at a Malden bowling alley.

Members of the deaf and hearing impaired community gathered to mourn the loss of Lewiston shooting victim Steve Vozzella during a prayer vigil held at Townline Luxury Lanes in Malden, where Vozzella bowled with multiple deaf and hard of hearing people. Josh Reynolds / The Boston Globe

By Katelyn Umholtz

October 31, 2023

1 minute to read

Family and friends of Steve Vozzella, one of the 18 victims of Maine’s mass shooting, held a vigil Monday for the born-and-raised Bay Stater inside one of his favorite venues: a bowling alley.

The Boston Globe reports that Steve Vozzella, 45, was among four people of Maine’s deaf community who were killed during a cornhole tournament at Schemengees Bar and Grille, the second business in Lewiston targeted by Robert Card last week.

Though Steve Vozzella lived in Maine, he grew up in Chelsea and Malden before moving north to South Paris. It was at the Town Line Luxury Lanes in Malden where the vigil was held.

“This was my father’s favorite place to be,” said Andrew Vozzella, Steve’s son.

The vigil was hosted by the Greater Boston Deaf Bowling League, of which Steve was a member for 15 years, the Globe reports. In front of the bowling lanes were dozens of pictures printed out of Steve Vozzella with friends and family, a sign that said “I love you” in American Sign Language, and his name spelled out with tape across five bowling balls.

“I hope every time they go bowling and come here, they’ll do this for my father and remember everything my father did and all the good times they brought to him and he brought to them,” Andrew Vozzella told the Globe.

Steve Vozzella was also married, according to a friend at the vigil. A GoFundMe was created three days ago by a friend of the family to provide support for Steve Vozzella’s wife and daughter, named Megan and Bella, according to the fundraising site.

The fundraiser has received 318 donations worth $19,810 in total.