Nicholas Cleves, a 23-year-old New York man, was killed in the truck attack in Manhattan. Neighbors of his relatives in Massachusetts were shocked to learn of his death.
One of the victims killed in the terrorist attack in New York City has ties to Massachusetts.
Nicholas Cleves, a 23-year-old Manhattan man, was not far from his home when he was killed. But he has relatives in the Bay State communities of Belmont and Lexington.
"Such a young man," said Brenda Dzierzeski, a neighbor of Cleves' grandmother in Belmont. "Terrible, terrible, I can't believe it. He's just a lovely person."
Cleves went to high school in New York, graduated from Skidmore College and was a software engineer. He was one of the eight people killed in Tuesday's violence.
"As you can well appreciate, the family is bereft at this time and grieving," said Jim Burnham, a family spokesperson in New York City. "Nicholas Cleves was a fine young man, starting out a successful career, stricken down way earlier than he should have been."
Cleves was the youngest victim of the rampage.
