Grand Rapids Family Identifies 18-Year-Old 'Gattie' Nguany Killed in Southwest Side Stabbing
Grand Rapids family identifies 18-year-old Gatlok "Gattie" Nguany, a recent Morley Stanwood High School graduate, as the victim of a fatal stabbing on the southwest side. Police say a suspect has been arrested.
Gatlok "Gattie" Nguany was 18 years old and had just graduated from high school when he was stabbed to death in Grand Rapids early Sunday morning. His family identified him Monday as the victim of a fatal stabbing on the city's southwest side.
"Gattie was a loving person with lots of friends and family, and an athlete, a family-oriented, loving child," a family member told 13 ON YOUR SIDE. "If I had to describe him, I would say humble and kind. He was a country-loving hunter, fisher, played football and basketball with the school and his friends and cousins and friends."
Nguany had recently graduated from Morley Stanwood High School in Mecosta County. He left behind two younger siblings.
"He loved his baby sister and brother with everything he had. He always joked about people probably thinking they were his children because of the age gap," the family member said.
A friend turned deadly
The family member told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that the person who stabbed Nguany was someone he knew and considered to be a friend.
Grand Rapids Police responded to the area of Goodrich Avenue SW and Cesar E. Chavez Street SW, just north of Wealthy Street, around 12:20 a.m. Sunday, May 24. Officers found Nguany seriously injured and transported him to a local hospital. He died there.
Suspect arrested
GRPD Interim Chief Joe Trigg told WOODTV 8 that a suspect had been arrested Sunday afternoon. Trigg confirmed only that the person was male and did not provide additional details.
The GRPD Major Case Team is investigating the incident.
Anyone with information is asked to contact:
- GRPD Detectives: (616) 456-3380
- Silent Observer: (616) 774-2345, or through their website or app
Two killings in one night
Nguany's death was one of two homicides in Grand Rapids overnight Sunday. Around 1:40 a.m., police responded to a shooting in the 1900 block of South Division Avenue near Rose Street SW, north of Burton Street. An adult male was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle and later died. Police have not released the victim's identity or made an arrest in that case.
Both cases remain under investigation by the Grand Rapids Police Department.
Sources
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