Joel Rashko Jr.

Joel Rashko Jr. was a young man whose life connected family and community across state lines. Born and raised by relatives in Newport News, Virginia, Joel had ties to both Virginia and New York; public references identify him as a 24‑year‑old whose sudden death in Queens in May 2014 left grieving family members searching for answers.

Friends and commenters on memorial sites remember Joel by the name “Haze” and recall a smiling presence and everyday roles such as working in security — small, human details that speak to how he moved through life: known to some as a dependable presence, someone who shared ordinary moments with family. While public records and news reports focus on the violent circumstances surrounding his death, the memories preserved by family and community emphasize Joel as a person with relationships and a life beyond headlines.

In May 2014 Joel was wounded at a gathering in Roy Wilkins Park in Queens and later died; the matter received attention from New York law enforcement and later court proceedings related to the shooting. While the public documentation centers on the investigation and legal process that followed, those who knew Joel afterward described him in personal terms: as a son and relative whose loss was deeply felt. A Newport News news piece and memorial pages record a mother’s heartbreak and community grief following his death, underscoring that Joel’s passing affected loved ones across two communities.

Public sources do not provide a full public portrait of Joel’s childhood, education, or the full circle of personal relationships he kept private. What is verifiable is that Joel was a real person whose life mattered to family and friends, and whose death in May 2014 brought sorrow to those who loved him. This remembrance honors the human being at the center of those reports — a young man remembered by name, family, and community — while acknowledging the limits of the public record and the privacy of those who loved him.