Brianna Rachelle Higgins, 15, was “a beautiful, bright soul, definitely the light of the room,” according to an online fundraiser launched by her family to help pay for her funeral.
Brianna was a sophomore at Lawrence High School.
Brianna was shot on Friday in Olathe near the 16900 block of West 127th Street. She was taken to the hospital, where she died, according to a news release from Olathe police.
Police were contacted at the Olathe Medical Center, according to the release. Officers and hospital staff attempted lifesaving measures, but Brianna did not survive.
Few details about the shooting have been released to the public, but “all involved parties have been identified and contacted,” according to Olathe police.
Although the Lawrence school district has not released much information, either, Superintendent Anthony Lewis asked for a moment of silence during Monday’s board meeting.
“This is our student so we are family,” Lewis said. “We want to make sure that we do all we can to support and wrap our arms around this family.”
The family is asking for support from those who are able to help cover Brianna’s funeral.
“My family is asking for your prayers and strength to make it through this tough time and help lay our beautiful beloved baby girl to rest,” according to the online fundraiser organized by Brianna’s sister, Iona Wakole. “Even just a share will help.”
The online GoFundMe page can be found at gofundme.com/f/brianna-rachell-higgins. As of 9:30 p.m. Monday, it had raised about $3,000 of its $20,000 goal.
Police declined to provide information beyond what was included in a news release about the shooting.
Family members and friends did not immediately respond to attempts to reach them for comment Monday.
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Natasha Torkzaban (she/her), a contributor to The Lawrence Times, is a current senior at Lawrence High School. She was an editor-in-chief of The Free Press at Free State High School before becoming an editor-in-chief for The Budget at Lawrence High School for 2023-24. Read her work for the Times here.
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