Gale Stephen

Gale Stephen was a woman who showed up for the people she loved. A devoted mother of five, she never missed a graduation, birthday, holiday, or funeral. Born in Belize, Gale brought her family to Chicago, Illinois, where she raised her three daughters and two sons on her own. She worked as a certified nursing assistant, a profession where she compassionately helped elderly people through their final days. After retiring, the 69-year-old Black woman didn't slow down. She remained the heart of her family, driving her grandchildren to and from school nearly every day and cooking for them every Sunday. Her daughter Lisa remembered, "She was going to feed us no matter what. She was always giving." Gale instilled the value of education in her family and was eagerly anticipating the June 2nd graduation of two of her grandchildren, where her grandson Mason was set to deliver the valedictorian speech. She had even postponed a month-long trip back to Belize to be there for their special day.

The last day of Gale's life, Saturday, May 27, 2023, was meant to be another day of supporting family. A cousin had recently passed away, and despite her daughter’s wish for her to take it easy, Gale insisted on driving herself to the funeral home. "She was going to support someone else… It didn’t matter, my mom was going to be there," Lisa Stephen said. "She shared herself with everyone." But Gale never arrived. Just before noon, around 11:58 a.m., as she drove through the Auburn Gresham neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, she was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting. In the 7900 block of South Ashland Avenue, someone in a passing vehicle opened fire, targeting a group of men standing near the Falcon Fuel gas station.

Chicago Police officers who arrived at the scene first found three men who had been shot. A 55-year-old man was shot in the back, a 34-year-old man in the arm, and a 26-year-old man in the shoulder. All three were taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. It was only after attending to them that someone alerted the officers to Gale’s car nearby. Inside, they found her unresponsive. She had been struck by a stray bullet, suffering a gunshot wound to her side or chest. Paramedics rushed her to the University of Chicago Medical Center, but she was pronounced dead. Her death was one of at least 12 homicides in Chicago over a particularly violent Memorial Day weekend.

The investigation into Gale’s murder is being handled by the Chicago Police Department. Detectives recovered nine shell casings from an empty lot across the street from the gas station. Police reported that the shooting was a drive-by, but released few other details about their investigation. Hours before Gale was killed, a man was found shot to death less than a mile away. Both attacks occurred in the Gresham police district, which saw at least seven people shot that weekend. As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made in connection with Gale Stephen's death, and no suspects have been publicly identified.

Gale’s daughters were left consumed by questions and a profound sense of injustice. "How does this happen to somebody like my mom, who was a peaceful person?" her daughter Marcia Burgess asked. "How does something so violent happen to such a woman? She had a violent death… and that doesn’t fit who she was." The thought of their mother’s final moments was agonizing. "The fact that she died alone in that car is crushing," Lisa said through tears. "My mom was asthmatic so I can imagine when that bullet hit her chest… She couldn’t breathe (and) she was alone." Another daughter, Tiffany Burgess, added, "This is breaking our hearts. My heart is broken."

In the wake of their devastating loss, Gale's family organized a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of her funeral and burial, seeking to give the beloved matriarch a dignified farewell. Her grandson Mason planned to mention her in his valedictorian speech, a tribute to the grandmother who was supposed to be there cheering him on. Her daughters remembered her as a constant source of strength and support. "She gave her all to everybody," Lisa said. "She put everybody first... If you needed her help, she was there to offer that… She was always strong, always a shoulder to lean on."

The case remains unsolved. The senseless act of violence that cut short Gale Stephen’s life continues to reverberate through her family and community. Her daughter Marcia expressed the pain and frustration felt by many: "This shouldn’t have to be a normal thing in the community that we live in. This shouldn’t have to happen. I shouldn’t lose my mom when she’s driving down the street." The investigation by the Chicago Police Department is ongoing, and they urge anyone with information to come forward.