A senseless act of domestic violence has changed an Illinois school community forever. Steven Lee, 54, reportedly showed up outside of Lincoln Middle School in Berwyn on September 16, 2025, just after 4 p.m. He wasn’t there to pick up a child or to make a delivery. No, Steven Lee was a man on a deranged mission. His estranged wife, 46-year-old Nerissa Lee, worked as a vice principal at the school. It appears he wanted her dead.
According to a news release from Berwyn Police, the suspect, identified by ABC 7 as Steven Lee, began firing a rifle into a vehicle outside Lincoln Middle School. When police arrived on the scene, Steven Lee reportedly shot at officers, but they did not return fire. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the scene. Inside the car where Steven Lee focused the gunfire, police found the bodies of Nerissa Lee and her mother, who police have not named.
Police confirmed there was no threat to the community, but that this was a tragic case of domestic violence. The news rocked the community.
“You don’t expect that from a small town like this in Berwyn, and it’s kind of scary to just think about it, because it happened right in front of school,” Abraham Pulido, who lives nearby, told ABC 7. “It was just cops everywhere and helicopter noises and sirens.”
Ena Laubis told the news station she graduated from Lincoln Middle School and that Nerissa Lee was her favorite teacher. Laubis hopes Nerissa Lee’s legacy of kindness continues.
“She would give students extra food if they were still hungry,” Laubis told ABC 7. “She would keep food for students later in the day if they were hungry, and she was just very kind person.”
Nerissa Lee sounds like such a loving and compassionate teacher. Her school community will undoubtedly feel this loss for quite some time.
According to CBS News, Berwyn North School District 98 Superintendent Dr. Michelle Smith identified Nerissa Lee as an assistant principal at the school.
“It is with great sadness that I announce to you that Nerissa Lee, Assistant Principal at Lincoln Middle School, lost her life in yesterday’s tragic shooting that occurred outside of Lincoln,” Smith wrote.
The superintendent wanted students and parents to know the shooting was related to domestic violence. Smith added that counselors would be on hand when school resumed on September 18.
“As a reminder, this was a domestic violence incident and there is no ongoing threat to the school community,” she added.
Seventh grader Christopher Cruz-Villogoez told CBS News he felt emotional about the shooting. The student took advantage of the extra counseling at school.
“I feel like mixed emotions, like confused. I feel sad. A little bit, yeah, and a little bit anger as well,” he said.
Christopher was participating in after school activities at the time of the shooting and was locked down in the building.
“I was like scared, like I was talking to my mom like like you shouldn’t come here because it was a little bit dangerous,” he said. “Because I was scared because of what was happening, and it was very scary, and I didn’t want her to be a part of the situation either.”
Police noted the incident remains under investigation. Hopefully this school community will heal and find a special way to honor Nerissa Lee, who they clearly loved.
