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Students are grieving the loss of 17-year-old Rhiana Kemplin, described as “so musically talented and so beautiful.”
AVONDALE, Ariz. — At the entrance of Agua Fria High School is a makeshift memorial filled with flowers, candles, letters and other mementos. On Tuesday, students stopped by to honor and remember someone they say was deeply loved.
“I’m just at a loss for words,” said her classmate and friend, Sophia. “She loved to be alive; she was so incredible. There’s less light in the world now.”
“I’m really heartbroken,” said the Marching Band Staff Member, Naila. “Everybody is hurt. It’s so hard watching the kids break down and just wanting to be with her. They lost somebody with so many dreams and aspirations.”
Those who knew 17-year-old Rhiana Kemplin say she was someone special. She was a senior at Agua Fria High School and a member of the school marching band.
“She played the marimba,” Naila said. “I’ve never seen anyone so motivated to learn about music. She always showed up, she was super respectful and she was so encouraging to her friends.”
They say the pain and sadness they’ve felt since Saturday can’t be put into words.
“She couldn’t even graduate,” Sophia said. “She couldn’t live her life because someone took it from her. She was so musically talented and so beautiful. I have no bad things to say about her whatsoever. She was a kind soul. I never found anyone cooler than her.”
“We lost somebody who knew what they wanted to give to the world and someone with so much love,” Naila said.
Avondale Police say they responded to a home near Dysart and West Rancho Santa Fe Boulevard for a shooting early Saturday morning. When officers arrived, they say, Rhiana was found and taken to a hospital where she died.
“I heard two shots,” said a neighbor. “It was like bang, bang and then I started hearing screaming.”
Authorities haven’t released any information about the suspect, just that “no one has been booked in connection with the case.” Neighbors say they were saddened to learn what happened, especially to someone so young.
“She was really nice,” one neighbor said. “I met her one time, and she was nice and pretty and whoever did that to her was messed up for that. She didn’t deserve that at all.”
“I hope she knew how much she was loved by everybody,” Naila said.
Friends, heartbroken over the situation, say it’s difficult for them to move forward. They’re holding the memories they have with the 17-year-old close and say it’s important for them to honor someone who had more life to live.
“There are no words to sum up the person she was,” Naila said. “She had so much light to her and all the kids knew that, all the staff knew that. She was the light during everything.”
“I’m devastated,” Sophia said. “My eyes are burning from how much I’ve been crying. It’s been rough for everybody. I’m at a loss. It’s such a deep wound for me and I’m just heartbroken.”
If you have any information about this case, you’re encouraged to call them at 623-333-7000.
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