It shows support for her and … that she was there, but now she's in a better place. – Katie Rounkles, student
KAYSVILLE — Grief counselors were standing by and students wore their Sunday best as a community continued to mourn the loss of a 12-year-old girl accidentally shot and killed by her younger sibling over the weekend.
Neighbors and school officials at Centennial Junior High, where the girl attended, confirmed that the girl was Adelaide Clinger, described as a star student at the school.
"I was in the meeting this morning with the faculty and there was definitely some tears shed. Imagine a teacher having to get up and stand in front of a classroom and act like it's a normal day. And of course it's not going to be normal," said Davis School District spokesman Chris Williams.
Adelaide was shot and killed Sunday afternoon inside her home in the 1900 block of Cooper Street. She was reportedly shot just hours after giving a talk in church where she expressed gratitude for her family.
"She was saying how grateful she was for her family and how her friends and her mom and dad are the best things in her life," said Jill Bowden, a neighbor in the same ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Kaysville police have released very few details about the shooting.
Word of the shooting spread quickly among Davis County students Sunday night via social media. Many said they heard about it through Snapchat and text messages. Students then spread the message to dress up at school Monday to show their support for Adelaide.
"It shows support for her and … that she was there, but now she's in a better place," said Katie Rounkles, a student at Centennial who dressed up Monday.
The Davis School District had 20 grief counselors at Davis High School, Centennial Junior High and Snow Horse Elementary on Monday morning, Williams said. He encouraged those who needed help to visit with a counselor.
"We all go through grief in our own personal ways, and we turn to whatever source we can for strength," he said. "I don't think there's an easy answer. Everyone is different."
Williams described the girl as a "sweetheart" whom people felt drawn to and "virtually a straight-A student."
Priscilla Angulo, community health educator with the Davis County Health Department, said the tragic incident is a reminder for all families to not only put gun locks on their weapons, but also lock them in a safe when not using them to keep them out of sight. Angulo said ammunition and guns should be stored in separate secured areas in a home.
"Also, you want to just talk with your kids that guns are different than the ones they see on TV or in video games. In real life, they can be really dangerous. So just let them know if they ever do come across a gun or find one, not to touch it and to let an adult know," she said.
Safety locks on guns alone are not a foolproof plan, Angulo said.
Contributing: Nicole Vowell, Peter Samore
Email: wevans@deseretnews.com, Twitter: whitevs7