Lewiston, Maine is reeling after a young woman was killed early Friday on Union Street. At about 1:26 a.m., emergency crews rushed to the scene after a 911 call reported gunfire. Officers found 22‑year‑old Maliyah Powell suffering from a gunshot wound. She was rushed to Central Maine Medical Center but later died from her injuries. Her loss has left family, friends and neighbors in deep grief.
Police immediately called in the Maine State Police to assist in the investigation. Detectives worked through the morning, gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses as the community tried to make sense of what happened in a quiet part of town. Powell was someone many in the neighborhood knew casually, someone described by loved ones as full of life and always ready with a smile. Her sudden death cut short those moments that mattered most to the people who cared about her.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Powell’s death a homicide, confirming she was killed by at least one gunshot. The revelation has shaken this small city, a community still working to heal from its own share of past violence. Friends later talked about Powell’s warmth, how she lit up rooms and could always make someone laugh even when days felt heavy.
Later that same day, police arrested 25‑year‑old Elise Bergeron of Lewiston and charged her with murder. Bergeron was taken into custody without incident and held at the Androscoggin County Jail. Authorities have said the investigation is ongoing but offered little detail on what may have led to the fatal shooting. Neighbors said they saw officers and detectives on Union Street for hours, marking evidence and gathering clues as questions piled up.
For Powell’s family, the hardest days are just beginning. Close friends and relatives described her as someone with big dreams and a generous heart, someone always quick to help others before herself. Plans for funeral services have not yet been announced. Many in Lewiston have already placed flowers and notes at makeshift memorials near the scene of the shooting, trying to honor her memory in the ways they know how.
Community leaders and police have urged anyone with information to come forward to help build a fuller picture of what took place that night. The mood in Lewiston remains somber as people struggle to reconcile a peaceful street with the violence that now marks it. Powell’s memory, they say, is one they will carry forward with love and sorrow.
In the wake of this tragedy, neighbors have taken to social media and local gatherings to mourn together, share stories about Powell and remind each other that lives are precious and fragile. The city’s grief is deep, but so is its resolve to support Powell’s family and pursue answers.
