Most of the 17 individuals killed in the United States’ latest mass shooting at a Florida high school have been identified.
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The deadly shooting, allegedly carried out by a former student named Nikolas Cruz, occurred Wednesday and also left 14 injured.
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17 people dead following Florida school shooting -
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Florida school shooting: Student reporter interviews fellow classmates while on lock down -
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Florida school shooting: Student describes football coach who died shielding students from gunfire -
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Student describes joking with Florida school shooting suspect as both were evacuating -
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Florida school shooting: Students, parents reunited hours after deadly attack -
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Parent describes texting with daughter during Florida school shooting
Authorities have not yet revealed the names of victims, but several families have confirmed the deaths to news outlets or on social media.
Here are the confirmed victims, and what we know about them:
Alyssa Alhadeff
Alhadeff’s death was confirmed on Facebook by Parkland Travel Soccer. The 14-year-old soccer player was remembered as a “loved and well-respected member” of the community.
Aaron Feis
WATCH: Coach killed in Florida shooting ‘one of the greatest people’
A football coach at the high school, Feis is being called a hero for throwing himself in front of students to protect them from gunfire.
READ MORE: Football coach ‘died a hero’ after shielding students from gunfire
Feis was rushed to hospital in critical condition but later died of his injuries, according to reports.
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Meadow Pollack
Pollack, an 18-year-old student who had plans to study at university next year, was among those killed in the shooting.
Her father, Andrew Pollack, described her as a go-getter who could accomplish anything she wanted.
“She just knew how to get what she wanted all the time,” he said, according to The New York Times. “Nothing could ever stop her from what she wanted to achieve.”
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Alex Schachter
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Schachter, 14, played the trombone, enjoyed playing basketball with friends and was “a sweetheart of a kid,” his father Max Schachter told The New York Times.
Alex’s older brother survived the shooting. Earlier this week, father and son had discussed which classes Alex wanted to take next semester.
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Jaime Guttenberg
Guttenberg’s death was confirmed on Facebook by her father Fred.
“My heart is broken. Yesterday, Jennifer Bloom Guttenberg and I lost our baby girl to a violent shooting at her school. We lost our daughter and my son Jesse Guttenberg lost his sister,” he wrote.
Ninth-grader Guttenberg, 14, loved to dance and hoped to become an occupational therapist and mother, aunt Abbie Youkilis said.
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“She always looked out for the underdog and the bullied and she probably had been kind to the (former) student who shot her,” Youkilis said in a written statement sent to the Associated Press.
Guttenberg leaves her parents, Fred and Jennifer Guttenberg, and brother Jesse. Her father said in a Facebook post that he is “trying to figure out how my family gets through this.”
Youkilis called for gun-control legislation, saying Jaime’s parents were “the world’s most loving and over-protective parents but they could not protect Jaime from the sickness that has gripped our country.”
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Luke Hoyer
Hoyer, 15, was a basketball player and an avid fan of NBA stars LeBron James and Stephen Curry, according to The New York Times.
He was described by his cousin Grant Cox as a “quiet, but a very happy individual” who would regularly crack jokes and make people smile.
Martin Duque
“He was like, one of the nicest people I knew,” said 15-year-old Isaac Briones. “He was so caring.”
Briones said he last saw Martin the day of the shooting during first period.
“We were just playing around, talking about jokes and stuff,” said Isaac, who was outside the school on Thursday with others holding a group of white balloons for the victims.
On Instagram, Miguel Duque wrote that words can’t describe the pain of losing his brother. He added: “I love brother Martin you’ll be missed buddy. I know you’re in a better place. Duques forever man I love you junior!!! R.I.P Martin Duque!”
Gina Montalto
Montalto was a 14-year-old freshman who participated in the winter color guard squad at the school.
Friends and relatives posted tributes on Facebook, including mother Jennifer Montalto.
“She was a smart, loving, caring, and strong girl who brightened any room she entered. She will be missed by our family for all eternity,” said the post.
One of Montalto’s colour guard instructors from middle school, Manuel Miranda, told the Miami Herald that Montalto was “the sweetest soul ever.”
“She was kind, caring always smiling and wanting to help,” Miranda said.
Peter Wang
“He was always so nice and so generous,” Wang’s cousin Aaron told The New York Times.
“He was the kid in school who would be friends with anyone. He didn’t care about popularity,” said his other cousin Lin Chen.
Nick Dworet
Dworet was a high school senior who was planning to attend the University of Indianapolis, CNN reported.
Robert L. Manuel, University of Indianapolis president, spoke out about his death: “Nick’s death is a reminder that we are connected to the larger world, and when tragedy hits in places around the world, it oftentimes affects us at home.”
Chris Hixon
Hixon, a father of two, was the athletic director at the high school and often filled in as a volleyball coach.
When the school needed someone to patrol the campus and monitor threats as a security specialist, Hixon did that, too. It was in that security role that Hixon apparently came within range of the shooter.
Scott Beigel
Students said geography teacher Beigel, 35, helped them enter a locked classroom to avoid the gunman and paid for the brave act with his life.
“If the shooter would have come into the room, I probably wouldn’t be speaking to you now,” student Kelsey Friend told Good Morning America.
Joaquin Oliver
Joaquin Oliver was known by his nickname “Guac,” short for “guacamole,” because many couldn’t pronounce his first name.
“My friend will literally never get to say, ‘I graduated high school,’” said Tyra Hemans, a 19-year-old who said she had been friends with Oliver since they were freshmen.
Hemans said she last saw her friend at school the day of the shooting.
“It was just a brief ‘Happy Valentine’s,’” she said. “He was with his girlfriend and I was just like, ‘Oh my God, you guys are so cute.’”
She added, “He’s just a goofball. He’s the only kid you’d know that would dye his hair bleach-blond, walk around school, put some tiger stripes in and just be unique. He was a unique soul.”
Alaina Petty
Fourteen-year-old Petty was among those who died in the shooting, great-aunt Claudette McMahon Joshi confirmed in a Facebook post.
“There are no hashtags for moments like this, only sadness,” she wrote, asking people to lift up Petty’s family in prayer.
Cara Loughran
A neighbour of Loughran’s confirmed on Facebook that she was one of the victims.
“It is with a heavy heart and much regret that I write these words. Our next-door neighbor’s daughter was one of the lives taken too soon by a senseless act of violence at Stoneman Douglas High School,” Danny Vogel wrote. “RIP Cara, and fly with the angels. You will be greatly missed, and we will always love you and celebrate your beautiful life.”
Carmen Schentrup
Schentrup, 16, was one of 10 students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas to qualify as a National Merit Scholar semifinalist, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
She had been missing after the shooting, with a friend of hers taking to Facebook to plead for information about her whereabouts. But on Thursday, authorities confirmed Schentrup was one of the students who died.
— With files from the Associated Press
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