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SALT LAKE CITY — Two LDS girls were among the victims in the Florida school shooting, LDS Church officials said. One of the girls died and the other is seriously injured.
Alaina Petty, age 14, died from her injuries after being shot Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, officials from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confirmed in an emailed statement Thursday.
Madeleine Wilford, age 17, is seriously injured and receiving medical treatment at a local hospital. Both teens are members of the Coral Springs Ward of the Coral Springs Florida Stake.
"To all of the victims and their loved ones, we extend our love," the statement said. "These are hours filled with grief, emptiness and a terrible sense of loss. We unite our prayers with millions of others who are mourning and praying for them."
Madeleine, who family and friends refer to as "Maddy," had a bullet go through her back "crushing her ribs, piercing through her right lung and exiting through her stomach," Maddy's mom Missy Cantrell Wilford said on Facebook, according to an update on a GoFundMe page. The surgeons don't know how many bullets hit Maddy but "she is alive, which is a miracle," she added.
Maddy will have surgery today to add permanent titanium plates to her ribs, according to her mom's post.
All 17 victims identified:
These are the lives lost in the Florida high school shooting
When a gunman opened fire with an AR-15 at a large high school in south Florida, the 17 dead included students and school workers, young and old. Here is a look at the 17 confirmed dead by authorities in the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High SchoolThe GoFundMe page for Maddy* was started by a classmate and has raised almost $16,000 in less than a day.
More information will posted throughout the day.
*KSL.com does not assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
