When her grandson was shot to death on a Roxbury Street on Wednesday night, a piece of her died, too.
Tears streamed down Solange Murat’s cheeks Thursday as she considered life without her grandson — Natho C. Bellegarde, 21, who police say was shot on Intervale Street around 8:41 p.m. He was taken to Boston Medical Center, where he died.
“They killed me!” Murat said, her lips trembling. “I’m still alive, but they killed me. My life will be miserable.”
Bellegarde had just left the area of Hartwell Street, not far from where his grandmother and mother reside, when he was shot, said a woman who lives on Hartwell and said she had seen him moments before.
Bellegarde and his uncle had been riding scooters when Bellegarde stopped on Intervale Street, said Ronald Hector, 51, the uncle’s friend.
Hector said neighbors who witnessed the shooting told him a man got out of a vehicle, walked up to Bellegarde, and opened fire. Hector, who lives on the block said he heard about seven shots.
“[His uncle] came out, ran over, and was crying,” Hector said. “There was blood everywhere.”
Hector said the shooting occurred on a block filled with people.
“We tried to keep him awake,” said Anthony Alexander, 50, who said he rushed over to help Bellegarde. “I grabbed his cheek and he gasped for air.”
Police officials did not confirm the shooting victim’s identity, but family and friends said it was Bellegarde.
Bellegarde’s death is the 24th homicide in Boston this year; there were 40 homicides at the same time last year, according to police.
Boston homicide detectives and the Suffolk district’s attorney’s office are investigating the shooting.
Bellegarde leaves behind a 1-year-old son whom family and friends say he adored.
“His son was his life,” said Bellegarde’s mother, Nadege Bellegarde.
Her son was a concrete mason and before he landed a job in construction he participated in a Job Corps program.
“He wanted to be independent,” Bellegarde said. “He always wanted to be the man since he was a little boy.”
Jan Ransom can be reached at jan.ransom@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jan_Ransom. Staff writer John Ellement contributed to this report.