Kallen Carothers identified as 16th Avenue shooting victim

Friends haveidentified the victim of a shooting on 16th Avenue in Calgary's northwestas23-year-oldKallenCarothers.

Onefriend,who wishes to remain anonymous and nowlives in Edmonton,has knownCarotherssince Grade6. She saysshewas an only child who lived with her parents in a downtown Calgaryapartment whileattendingschool to be a medical administrator.

She spoke to Carothers on Wednesday night for a few minutes just before11 p.m, MT which wasabout 15 minutes before the shooting occurred near a strip mall on19thStreet.

"When I talked to her she was by herself. She seemed fine, she was talking to me," said the friend whoheard about what happened around11:30 p.m.

She said Carothers did not have a boyfriend and doesn't knowwhat happened.

Friends didn't know Carothers'other friends

"She goes to school. Shegoes to work. She minds her own business," said the friend. "She was a very good person and she had a very good heart. She wanted to do medical admin. She wanted to help people."

The friend saidaGoFundMecampaign has been set up to help pay forCarothers'funeral.

Andrea Turnbull, another schoolfriend,found out about Carothers' death on social media.

"I never actually met the new people she's been hanging out with. I never heard anything bad about them.I just know she was partying alot, but other than that I don't know about the group she was hanging out with.

"I don't believe she was the target at all. I can't see anyone going after her at all... She is a wholehearted girl, and I feel she just got mixed up with the wrong people."

Witness sought by police

Meanwhile, police areasking the public for any information about the whereabouts and theidentity of the man who they say was in the car with Carothers when the shooting occurred.

He is believed to be a black male, in his mid-20s, who is five feet10 inchesto six feettall with a thin build whomay have been wearing white pants,said Duty Insp.Paul Wyatt.

A dark-coloured sedan was also seen leaving the scene. Police believe this is not a random attack, and they have no suspects. The investigation is underway.

Emergency crews had found awoman suffering"traumatic injuries" from a firearm, said EMS spokesmanStuart Brideaux.Police confirmed early Thursday morning she had died from her injuries in hospital. An autopsy is set to be performed Thursday.

Neighbour heard 8 gunshots

Yvette Branker, who lives in a nearby apartment had gone to bed for the night when sheheard gunshots, followed a little later by several more.

"I know it was eight. I knew it was gunshots because of the reverberation after each one," said Brankerwho's lived in the neighbourhood for 20 years.

The gunshots sounded so close she didn't move.

"I know bullets can travel through walls andI thought it was some sort of gang shooting ...althoughthat's never happened inthe neighbourhood."

She got dressed and then heard a second set of shots. Shelooked out the window to see two cars in the intersection, one behind the other,as if there had been a caraccident. Then police and other emergency vehicles started arriving and she knew they were responding to the shooting, she said.

"I'm a little shaken because I cross that intersection a number of times every day. It was very close to [my apartment]."

Police are saying little elseabout their investigation so far, but saymultiple shots were reportedly fired at a white car that was left sitting in the intersection.It was towed away by investigators early Thursday morning.

Police blocked off the area for several hours but the roads were reopened in time for themorning commute.