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GALLERY: Massive crowd turns out for vigil to remember 7-year-old girl killed in fatal Westside shooting

By Sarah Thompson and Steven Ponson

Parents of 7-year-old killed in Westside shooting react during vigil for their daughter (Action News Jax/Russell Colburn)

By Sarah Thompson and Steven Ponson

Jacksonville, FL — Only hours after the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced two arrests in connection to the fatal shooting of 7-year-old Heidy Rivas Villanueva and an active search for a third suspect, the community gathered for a vigil in her honor Tuesday evening.

An estimated 150 people turned out, with family, friends, community members, JSO officers, and even strangers all paying their respects to Heidy.

Heidy’s family got emotional as they arrived to see the massive crowd already waiting.

GALLERY: Community gathers for vigil to remember 7-year-old Heydi Rivas Villanueva

A priest who addressed the crowd, said, "It's not goodbye, but see you later."

Heidy was supposed to start first grade this week at Sadie Tillis Elementary School. Her family says she loved to paint and to study English. Her father says they hope to hold her funeral in her home country of Honduras.

Heidy 10-year-old cousin was also attending the vigil and was very emotional while speaking to us after we got permission to speak with him from his parents.

We’ve received clarification from Heidy’s family on the correct spelling of the 7-year-old’s name. When the incident first happened JSO ID’d her with a different spelling and that’s why you have seen her name spelled different ways.

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