Florida high school shooting victims: Who they were

Feb. 15 (UPI) -- The Broward County Sheriff's Office on Thursday afternoon released the full list of the 17 victims of this week's deadly school shooting in South Florida.

Sheriff Scott Israel read the names of the victims at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., one-by-one during an afternoon news conference. UPI, The Sun Sentinel, CNN, The Miami Herald and The New York Times compiled profiles of the dead:

Alyssa Alhadeff, 14, was a skilled member of the Parkland Travel Soccer team. Her mother, Lori Alhadeff, remembered her on Facebook.

"My Daughter Alyssa was killed today by a horrific act of violence. I just sent her to school and she was shot and killed. Alyssa was a talented soccer player, so smart, an amazing personality, incredible creative writer, and all she had to offer the world was love," she wrote.

Scott Beigel was a geography teacher whom a student said tried to help teenagers to safety in his classroom.

"Mr. Beigel was my hero and he still will forever be my hero. I will never forget the actions that he took for me and for fellow students in the classroom," student Kelsey Friend told CNN. "I am alive today because of him."

Martin Duque was a 14-year-old student at the school.

Nicholas Dworet was a senior who had a swimming scholarship to attend the University of Indianapolis in the fall.

"Nick's death is a reminder that we are connected to the larger world, and when tragedy hits in places around the world, it oftentimes affects us at home," said Robert L. Manuel, University of Indianapolis president.

Aaron Feis was a football coach whom students praised for using his body to shield them from a hail of bullets.

"It didn't surprise me when I heard he jumped in front of a girl and shielded her from the shooter, it doesn't surprise me a bit that he did that," Stoneman Head Football Coach Willis May told UPI Thursday. "He has such love and concern for other people."

Jamie Guttenberg was a student at the school. Her father, Fred Guttenberg, said his "heart is broken."

"I am broken as I write this trying to figure out how my family gets through this," he said in a post on his Facebook page.

Chris Brent Hixon was the school's athletic director and wrestling coach. May told UPI that Hixon ran toward the scene to try to help others to safety.

"He was good to the kids," May said. "Like Feis, he was hard on them sometimes, but always fair."

Luke Hoyer, 15, was a basketball player and enjoyed bowling, his cousin, Grant Cox said.

"He could crack jokes. He could make you smile," Cox said. "I know Luke loved his family. ... He had a huge heart."

Cara Loughran, 14, was a student at the school.

Gina Montalto, 14, was a member of the school's winter guard, which performed with the marching band.

"Our beautiful daughter, Gina Rose, was taken from us during the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School," her mother, Jennifer, wrote on Facebook. "She was a smart, loving, caring, and strong girl who brightened any room she entered."

Joaquin Oliver, 17, was born in Venezuela. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 3 and became a U.S. citizen in 2017.

Alaina Petty, 14, was "a vibrant and determined young woman, loved by all who knew her."

"Alaina loved to serve," her family said in a statement.

She was a member of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas JROTC and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' "Helping Hands" program, who volunteered to assist communities impacted by Hurricane Irma in September.

Meadow Pollack, 18, was a senior who planned to attend Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., in the fall.

"She was just unbelievable," her father, Andrew Pollack, said. "She was a very strong-willed young girl who had everything going for her."

Helena Ramsey, 17, was a student at the school.

Alex Schachter, 14, played trombone in the school's marching band and enjoyed playing basketball with his friends. His older brother also attended the school and survived the shooting.

He was "a sweetheart of a kid," his father, Max Schachter said. He "just wanted to do well and make his parents happy."

Carmen Marie Schentrup, 16, was a student at the school.

Peter Wang, 15, was a member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. His cousin Aaron Chen said Peter "was always so nice and so generous."