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Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting: 13-year-old Keyla Salazar killed in the gunfire may have saved a relative's life by staying back

Keyla Salazar, age 13, and Trevor Irby, age 25 died as a result of 19-year-old Santino William Legan's actions after he opened fire at the festival with his AK-47 style rifle. 
UPDATED JUL 30, 2019

All three victims of the horrific Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting have been identified by the coroner. The name of 6-year-old victim Steven Romero was revealed on July 28 and on Monday, July 29 the authorities revealed that there was another 13-year-old child who was a victim of the shooting along with a recent college graduate.  Keyla Salazar, age 13, and Trevor Irby, age 25 died as a result of 19-year-old Santino William Legan's actions after he opened fire at the festival with his AK-47 style rifle on July 28. 

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the Salazar family by a local business owner. "Many of our staff and employees are a part of the Gilroy community and we support this event yearly. We are in direct contact with Keyla's family also," said Bob Mann, who is organizing the event said, "Please share with others; together we can help with this heartbreaking loss."So far $13,046 has been raised of the  $50,000 goal.

Keyla's mother had earlier been searching for her at the festival when she lost her as the chaos broke out at the location. She was attending the festival with her two sisters, her mother, and stepdad. The father, Lalo was also hit. A friend of the mother, Maria Zelaya had posted on Facebook that Lorena Pimentel, Kelya's mom was looking for her. My friend Lorena’s daughter was shot today at the Gilroy Garlic Festival if anyone’s seen her pictured in blue T-shirt please let me know as of 9:30 she doesn’t know where she’s at…” she wrote". She later made the tragic update, "Unfortunately Keyla didn’t make it, please lift her family in prayers as they will need all the support especially her mom."

According to the Associated Press, a family member says the teenager may have inadvertently saved another relative's life. Keyla's aunt says the teen was eating ice cream with family members when they heard gunshots and began to flee. Katiuska Vargas says her niece stayed back to keep pace with a relative who uses a cane and was shot with a bullet that otherwise might have hit that woman. Vargas says Keyla's stepfather was wounded as he went back for her.

A friend of the mother, Maria Zelaya had posted on Facebook that Lorena Pimentel, Kelya's mom was looking for her. My friend Lorena’s daughter was shot today at the Gilroy Garlic Festival if anyone’s seen her pictured in blue T-shirt please let me know as of 9:30 she doesn’t know where she’s at…” she wrote. (facebook)

The child, who was to turn 14 in just a week and wanted a Golden Retriever, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. She attended a nearby charter school and was a well-behaved child who tried her best.  She was also a loving and protective sister. The family visited from hospital to hospital looking for her, only to finally learn, after nine hours after the shooting, that their daughter was dead. 

Trevor Irby, 25 was visiting the food festival with his girlfriend, Sarah Warner.(Facebook)

Another of the victims in the shooting, Irby had recently moved to Santa Cruz from upstate New York. He was visiting the food festival with his girlfriend, Sarah Warner. His best friends Matt Hey, Steven Wyrosdick, and Ben Schreiber have set up a GoFundMe page for his family. The funds raised will go towards his funeral costs and other expenses. "Trevor was a brother, a son, a grandson, a boyfriend, a best friend and a bright light to all who knew him. Trevor was an excellent pillar of the Keuka College & Romulus communities and a kind & positive soul. Trevor will forever live on in the memory of his loved ones," his friends said. 

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