Genesis Regalado remembered

An intersection in Elmhurst has been renamed for an 11-year-old girl who lost her life there last year. The street - 55th Avenue between 98th and 99th Streets - will now be called Genesis Regalado Way.
At the time of her death - on July 17, 2006, Regalado was splashing in a gushing fire hydrant with several other kids and adults. A gunman and accomplice driving a Nissan Altima opened fire into the crowd, police said, and Regalado was shot once fatally in the head.
The two shooting suspects - Jeffrey Matista, the alleged shooter, and Joewyn Diaz, the alleged driver - have been charged with Regalado’s murder and each face 25 years to life in prison.
On Tuesday, July 10, family and friends of Genesis Regalado gathered at the site for the street renaming ceremony, led by Councilmember Helen Sears.
“We do everything to keep guns off the street, but no one is free from this violence. Here we have a beautiful young girl who had her whole life in front of her … We all have to work in seeing that these guns are off the street.”
Also on hand for the renaming were State Senator John Sabini, Councilmember Hiram Monserrate, Assemblymember Jeffrion Aubry, Community Board 4 members, and members of the Guardian Angels, who helped to patrol the neighborhood after Regalado was killed.