The Latest: Aunt says family is ‘broken’ over nephew’s death

The Latest: Aunt says family is ‘broken’ over nephew’s death


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SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on a vigil to remember two students shot and killed by a classmate at his Southern California high school (all times local):

8 p.m.

An aunt of one of two students killed in a shooting at Saugus High School says his death has devastated the family.

Angie Davidson said 14-year-old Dominic Blackwell was loved by his family for his vibrant personality. Davidson was surrounded by other family members, several who were crying, as she spoke.

“He’s gone forever. We are broken,” Davidson said. “Please remember the two precious lives that we lost.”

Dominic Blackwell was an ROTC student at Saugus. Two of his fellow ROTC cadets remembered him as a fun-loving and helpful classmate.

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7:30 p.m.

The brother of one of the two students killed in a shooting at Saugus High School says his sister “was the best sister ever. You always put a smile on my face.”

Riley Muehlberger, the brother of 15-year-old Gracie Anne Muehlberger, spoke about her at a vigil Sunday in Central Park to remember her and fellow student 14-year-old Dominic Blackwell.

Riley Muehlberger shared memories of his sister’s birthday party and how she would talk to him about her life at school.

“I watched you grow up more and more every day. You said you looked up to me when I graduated from Saugus,” he said.

Saugus Principal Vince Perry told the crowd at the vigil that the event was a moment to grieve.

“We are here to grieve the loss of two teenagers, two friends, two students, two siblings and two children,” he said.

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6:50 p.m.

Thousands of people have gathered at Santa Clarita’s Central Park to hold a vigil to remember two students shot and killed by a classmate at his Southern California high school as investigators try to determine what prompted the deadly attack that left three other teens wounded.

Joann Garcia told KTLA that she came to the vigil shaken but determined to help the community heal. “It’s very hard. We thought that this would never happen here. It has affected everybody,” she said. “We are all uniting.” Detectives were searching for a motive for the killings carried out by Nathaniel Tennosuke Berhow on Thursday, his 16th birthday. The teen pulled a .45-caliber handgun from his backpack and shot five students at random before shooting himself in the head. He died the next day.

Saugus High School will remain closed until Dec. 2, but counselors will be available to help students cope with their grief, school district officials said.

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4:23 p.m.

A candlelight vigil is planned Sunday evening to remember two students shot and killed by a classmate at his Southern California high school as investigators try to determine what prompted the deadly attack that left three other teens wounded.

Saugus High School will remain closed until Dec. 2, but counselors will be available to help students cope with their grief, said school district officials in the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Clarita.

Detectives were searching for a motive for the killings carried out by Nathaniel Tennosuke Berhow on Thursday, his 16th birthday. The teen pulled a .45-caliber handgun from his backpack and shot five students at random before shooting himself in the head. He died the next day.

The dead were identified as 15-year-old Gracie Anne Muehlberger and 14-year-old Dominic Blackwell. They will be honored at a 7 p.m. vigil at Santa Clarita’s Central Park.

A wounded 14-year-old girl was released from the hospital late Friday. A 15-year-old girl remained hospitalized in good condition. A 14-year-old boy was treated and released Thursday.

Berhow had shown no signs of violence and didn’t appear to be linked to any ideology, authorities said.

After more than 40 interviews and a search of his home, authorities still were in the dark, Capt. Kent Wegener of the Sheriff’s Department’s homicide unit said at a news conference Friday.

"We did not find any manifesto, any diary that spelled it out, any suicide note or any writings," he said.

Additional law enforcement will be posted Monday at schools in the Santa Clarita area.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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