High school cheerleader shot, killed leaving Arizona house party
- An Arizona teenager was fatally shot leaving a party on Sunday
- Police identified the slain 17-year-old as Desiree Rivas
- Neighbors rushed to the scene upon hearing gunfire
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(NewsNation) — An Arizona teenager was shot and killed leaving a party early on Sunday morning, according to local TV news channel KTVK.
The 17-year-old, Desiree Rivas, went to Cesar Chavez High School in Laveen Village, Arizona.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I post about the tragic loss of our amazing friend, athlete, and student Desiree. Our hearts are broken into a million pieces,” an Instagram post from the high school reads.
The shooting happened just after midnight. Neighbors heard gunfire and rushed to the scene, only to find Rivas lying by herself on the sidewalk.
“I was in the bed and I heard these gunshots, and they were loud. It seems like they were right in my yard. They were so loud,” April Stokes told FOX10. “I was scared to get up because I didn’t know where they were coming from, since they sounded so close.”
“It’s just sad, you know, especially on Mother’s Day, something like this happening,” a neighbor told KTVK. “I was telling my kids, bullets don’t have a name on them. Bullets can go to anyone.”
She added that her children had wanted to go to the party, but she had said no.
Detectives are still looking for a suspect, and they ask anyone with information to contact the Phoenix Police Department.
