GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Perla Guevara says her niece, Alana Vasquez, just graduated high school. She says Alana was funny, goofy, and someone who always made other people laugh.
"She graduated and made all of us proud. She had just gotten a new car, and so she was just so ecstatic about that, and she was living a normal teenage life, you know, about to start her adulthood life, and it was cut short," said Guevara.
She says Alana brightened any room.
"I went to her Quinceañera about a few years ago, and it was the best time of our life. It was like, a memory that nobody will forget."
Now, her family is left trying to find closure after Alana was shot and killed at a car meet up in the area around Freeman Avenue SW and Hall Street SW around 1:15 a.m., according to police.
Police said Vasquez was taken to the hospital after sustaining serious injuries, where she passed away shortly after arrival.
"No one should be left to die like this. All I want is for either the person to come forward, anyone with any information to come forward," said Guevara. "It is not fair, that we are left with no answers. Now... we wont stop until we find the person."
Guevara says she wants to thank the Grand Rapids Police Department, and all who have so far provided tips to investigators, along with hoping any future tips can lead to an arrest.
Above all, however, she wants justice for Alana.
"Alana loved her family so much, as much as she loved her friends. She did not deserve this. She didn't deserve this and whoever did this left us a with a very broken family, broken hearts, and just... know we will find whoever it is that did this."
West Michigan law enforcement will be holding a briefing on ongoing car meetups, as they say these gatherings continue to be a public safety issue that involve reckless driving, fights and illegally-possessed firearms.
Guevara has created a GoFundMe to support Vasquez's family during this time. Anyone with information regarding the death of Alana Vasquez can contact GRPD or Silent Observer.
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