‘Our baby is just 18’: Family mourns Avianna Gray after Edmond shooting as suspects remain at large
EDMOND, OKLAHOMA: An 18-year-old victim has died following the mass shooting at Arcadia Lake in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Avianna Smith-Gray, who had recently turned 18 and was still in high school, succumbed to her injuries after the shooting that left more than 20 people injured.
Avianna Smith-Gray remembered after Arcadia Lake shooting
Avianna Smith-Gray was a high school senior who was just weeks away from graduation.
Her aunt, ShaRhonda Smith, shared the family's heartbreak. "Our baby is just 18. She turned 18 in December. She's still in high school," Smith said.
"She just got, you know, done doing her senior homework to finish up for the trimester at the school she goes to, and she's, like, looking forward to graduation."
The family expressed pain over the loss, stating that Avianna was an innocent person caught in a violent situation.
"They stole her whole life. That's not fair. They don't have the right to do what they did to her or anybody else that was there and innocently got hit," Smith added.
Chaotic scene at Arcadia Lake on May 3
The shooting happened late Sunday night when a fight broke out at a party attended by more than 100 people.
Police confirmed that 23 people were injured by shrapnel, with Avianna being the only person in critical condition.
"When they first brought her here from the lake, she had her head injury. The gunshot wound that entered her head and exited caused a lot of damage," her aunt explained while speaking to KOCO's Meghan Mosley.
"They had to do an emergency surgery to remove a piece of her skull."
As they waited for news at the hospital, the family remained desperate for any sign of recovery.
"We are trying to remain hopeful," Smith said through tears. "Her condition is not good... I mean, we're trying to stay prayed up and be hopeful as much as we can."
Regarding the scale of the shooting, she noted, "I just know that several people got shot and whoever their intended target was, I mean, it couldn't have been that many people, like the whole party."
Arcadia Lake shooting suspects still at large
The Edmond Police Department has confirmed that no suspects have been arrested and no descriptions have been released.
While police say they are following leads, the shooters remain at large after leaving nearly two dozen people injured and one dead.
The family is now seeking justice while mourning a girl they described as smart, talented, and full of life.
A GoFundMe page has been created by Avianna's mother and siblings to assist with funeral expenses. The page describes her as a loving person and a talented athlete.
Her siblings wrote, "My sister was so talented a very good athlete and she was so so smart, Avianna was so full of life and loved spending time with her family, friends, her boyfriend, & etc. she was 18 years old just graduated and was waiting to walk that stage!"
