Young Gilroy shooting victim remembered on what would have been her 14th birthday

GILROY, Calif. (KTVU) - It was one week ago, three people were shot and killed at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. On Sunday, there was a celebration of life for victim Keyla Salazar in San Jose on what would have been her 14th birthday.

In the wake of two mass shootings this weekend, Keyla's family said it's difficult for them to hear other families are going through similar heartache and pain.

There was a mariachi band, face painting, balloons, and a butterfly release to symbolize Keyla's care for animals. Keyla's art was framed and on full display. Her family said she wanted to have a career in animation.

It was all the things the teen loved and would have been just as she would have wanted it, her family said.

"She was so excited to start high school, it's just devastating," said  Keyla's aunt Katiuska Pimentel. 

Keyla was one of three young victims killed at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Pimentel said just as they are beginning to heal, they were devastated by two more mass shootings this weekend in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

"Hearing the news it's traumatizing too, because we are just hearing other people go through the same thing we are going through," said Pimentel. "I wouldn't wish this to anybody."

Family friend Rebeca Armendariz of Gilroy said the shootings in El Paso and Dayton don't surprise her.

"They don't shock me anymore," said Armendariz. "I'm fighting to not be numb to it. I'm really fighting for none of us to be numb to this."

"The most horrible things about all these shootings is that this behavior is becoming normalized," said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. "We have had more than 200 since Jan. 1."

Liccardo presented Keyla's mother a certificate from Animal Services fulfilling the girl's last wish for a Golden retriever for her sister.

The mayor vowed to tighten sales of firearms locally pointing to a lack of leadership from the federal government to view gun control as a priority.

"We are going to push as hard as we can, the city of San Jose, as far as the law will allow us, but we need others pushing with us in Sacramento and Washington," said Liccardo.

Lawmakers have support from community members. 

"I think there is no reason for civilians to have assault weapons," said Anne Rosenzweig of Morgan Hill.

Rosenzweig is pushing for gun reform and said she's tired of saying "not again." Instead, she'd like to say "never again."

"We can't afford to lose all these precious young people and others," said Rosenzweig. "There's violence upon violence. We have to turn our country around and get it back to what it should be."