By Matthew McLaughlin

Four years to the day have passed and the wall on the corner of Cedar and Warwick streets still draws young Somervillans to reflect on lost ones. Now years later, a stabbing incident re-opens old wounds and forces some to wonder what is going on in their city.

After last week’s stabbing incident during Somerville’s Independence Day fireworks, dozens of local youth remembered Ryan Sullivan, a 16-year-old Somerville native, who was killed on Warwick Street July 1, 2004 while rushing to the aid of a friend being assaulted. Friends of Sullivan lit candles and wrote messages of love on a picket fence adorned with writing, rosary beads and an Irish flag since the night he died.

Jules Stevens was with Sullivan the night he died and was also assaulted during the incident. At the vigil Stevens taped news clippings of the Celtics recent championship to the fence. Sullivan died before he could see the many Boston championships, so Stevens and friends often paid tribute to Sullivan by placing Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics memorabilia at his grave and along the fence.

‚ÄúIn a way it shows he’s still with us, still celebrating with us,‚Äù Stevens said.

Amanda Cutter knew Sullivan since grade school and said her and her friends are still trying to cope with his death.

‚ÄúI feel the same as the first day it happened,‚Äù she said. ‚ÄúIt just doesn’t change. People say that things happen for a reason, but there was no reason for this to happen. People expect these things to happen to bad kids, but it happens to good kids too.‚Äù

Sullivan’s murder occurred the day Somerville reintroduced its pre-Independence Day fireworks. Last week, after the fireworks, a triple stabbing took place on the Medford side of Broadway. Several youth attending Sullivan’s vigil said the incident brought up bad memories.

‚ÄúMy stomach just dropped,‚Äù Cutter said. ‚ÄúIt is disgusting to think that they know what happened and they still do that. It’s really time to stop.‚Äù

Brendan Tighe knew Sullivan since he was six years old and said he has stayed away from the fireworks since 2004. He said he doesn’t understand why people are trying to kill each other.

‚ÄúI don’t know what to say,‚Äù Tighe said. ‚ÄúThere are just some scumbag people out there. They need to end the fireworks.‚Äù

Canceling the fireworks was a theme several mourners repeated. Although the fireworks brought back bad memories, however, friends said it is important to remember Sullivan and honor him.

‚ÄúIt is still good to see a good turnout, that people still care,‚Äù Stevens said.  ‚ÄúIf he were here I would tell him that I miss him. That not a day goes by that I don’t think about him.‚Äù