Street Renamed to Honor Chabad of Poway Victim

A street will be renamed to honor Chabad of Poway shooting victim Lori Lynn Gilbert-Kaye, the Poway City Council unanimously decided Tuesday night.

Eva Drive, a small street off Stone Canyon Road near where Gilbert-Kaye lived, will become Lori Lynn Lane.

Renaming a street is not something done very often, Mayor Steve Vaus said. “But of course, as we all know, on April 27, life changed in Poway, particularly for the Kaye family when Lori Kaye was tragically killed.

“Lori Kaye was a special person and when we were approached by folks from the Chabad of Poway asking if we could change the name of a street to honor Lori, we couldn’t say yes quickly enough.”

Eva Drive is in the Green Valley neighborhood of northern Poway, roughly 1 mile south of Chabad of Poway where on the last day of Passover, a 19-year-old man opened fire killing Gilbert-Kaye and injuring several others. The congregation’s rabbi, Yisroel Goldstein, 57, lost a finger in the shooting. Two other people — Almog Peretz, 34, and his 8-year-old niece, Noya Dahan — were also injured.

John T. Earnest is awaiting trial on murder, attempted murder, arson and hate crime allegations.

The city’s street naming policy does not normally allow street names to be the given or surnames of people, with the exception of names of pioneer families or historic persons. However, the council decided an exception could be made.

“This action is completely appropriate,” Councilman John Mullin said.

“This is an important moment to pay tribute to a life ended far too soon and one more special than I think we will ever know,” added Vaus.