13-year-old shot to death was separated from family at Gilroy Garlic Festival

GILROY, Calif. (KTVU) - One of the three people killed in the shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival was Keyla Salazar of San Jose.

Her family told KTVU on Monday that she had just graduated from 8th grade at ACE Empower Acadmey and was enjoying her summer vacation.

Her aunt Katiuska Pimentel says the family loves attending festivals.

But on Sunday, the 13-year-old became separated from her family when gunfire erupted, causing chaos. 

Relatives say they searched in vain for her.

It wasn't until hours later that they learned she had been killed.

"We want her to be remembered as sweet, loving and caring," says Katiuska, Keyla's aunt.  

The family described her as a loving  sister to her two younger sisters. Her mother, Lorena Pimentel shared with KTVU a photo of Keyla and her 12-year-old sister Lyann at the festival taken shortly before she was killed.

In Spanish, Keyla's mother described the gunman as being young and skinny.  She says the family was enjoying ice cream when she suddenly saw a young man who looked angry, open fire.

Mom says she initially  thought Keyla had slipped and fallen  trying to run from the gunfire. She says she did not realize at the time that her daughter had been shot.

She says she  became separated from Keyla  during the chaos as she tended to her two other daughters. 

Mom describes how other victims were crawling to try to get out of the area while bleeding from their wounds.

She says she gave someone her jacket because they were bleeding out.  They tied a knot so they wouldn't bleed. .

Keyla's family says they didn't learn what happened to her until hours later after they received a call from the coroner's office at 2 a.m. Monday.  They were informed that Keyla had died at the scene. 

"It's just been really hard to understand , to process that you don't have your niece anymore, your daughter anymore," says Katiuska. 

The family says Keyla loved video games and aspired to be an animation artist.  She was looking forward to attending high school;  a bright future stolen.   

"I never thought I would have to plan my niece's funeral before my own," says Katiuska.

Keyla would have celebrated her 14th birthday Saturday.

The family says they need time to heal and haven't worked out the details of Keyla's funeral yet.

Friends and supporters have started a  GoFundMe to help pay for the costs.