There was a teddy bear, flowers and a candle set up where 14-year-old Monica Holley was fatally shot in the parking lot of a St Paul apartment complex.

“Monica was a kind, generous, wonderful, positive, young lady,” said Shakesha Wren, one of Monica’s relatives. “She was full of smiles, she was funny, she is going to be missed.”

According to police, officers were called to the area of Hazelwood Street and Maryland Avenue East around 7:45 p.m., Wednesday, when multiple people and a patrol officer heard shots being fired.     

Eventually, officers found three victims — all teenage girls — injured by gunfire. The three teens were taken to Regions Hospital, where Monica died of her injuries.

Police also said a fourth person, identified as a 19-year-old woman, was injured by the shooting and turned up at an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

As of this time, police aren’t sure what led up to the shooting, and don’t know who is responsible for pulling the trigger, but they’re hoping someone will come forward and help bring closure to the girls’ families.

“It’s extremely senseless, this type of crime, I don’t have any words to describe it,” said Sgt. Mike Ernster of the St. Paul Police Department. “I cannot imagine what a family is going through right now. As a father myself, it’s unthinkable to have something like this happen. And for somebody to pull the trigger in our city and cause this young girl’s death, and to injure these other girls, is unfathomable.”

If you have any information that may help police with their investigation, you’re asked to call 651-266-5650. Residents and business owners in the area are being asked to share any surveillance video they have to help police determine what happened.

“She was a child, and she didn’t deserve it, someone else had some animosity with someone else, and they involved the whole community, and didn’t think about how it would affect those young girls that were hit,” Wren said.

The family shared a fundraising page, set up to help with expenses after Monica’s death.

“It’s unconscionable that a child would have their life stolen in such a heinous manner,” wrote St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter on Facebook. “When a shot is fired, and a life is lost — especially a young life so full of potential — the impact is felt by our entire community.”

Mayor Carter wrote that he is working closely with St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry as the investigation continues.