Family friend reveals information about 16-year-old shot outside of East High School: "The first thing we heard on Monday were gunshots"
A handful of photos shared by the family of 16-year-old Luis Garcia displays a glimpse into his life and primarily captures his love for two things: his family and soccer.
Saedra, a student at East High School who asked for her last name not to be revealed, has grown close to the family in the last few years.
"He and his brother used to drive me to school every day. He helped coach my little brother's soccer team I just really admire him I find him to be an incredibly hard-working kind loving soul," she said.
At the school, she says lockdowns and lockouts have sadly become a normal part of their education, but Monday was different.
"The first thing we heard on Monday were gunshots," she said.
Hours later she would learn that Garcia had been shot in his car while leaving school.
Garcia was on the phone with his older brother just before the shots rang out. He was excited to celebrate a cousin's birthday later that evening.
"His brother said he was just so excited he was talking about how he was going to decorate the house," Saedra said.
That kindness, she says, was only matched by his skill on the soccer field. His team is among those raising money for the family, reaching more than $100,000 in just two days through GoFundMe.
"He works incredibly hard to uplift himself and just work himself and his community towards the best future possible," she said.
While much of the discussion around the shooting has focused on combatting the rise of violent crime among juveniles, Saedra says Garcia's family, friends and teammates want the community to know the Luis they know and love.
"They have no idea who would want to do something like this to him or to anyone," she said.
