Teen killed in hit-and-run collision ‘an amazing friend’; vigil planned

The victim of a hit-and-run accident on Pacific Way on Friday night is being identified as a South Kamloops secondary school student who would have celebrated her 17th birthday today.

Although RCMP have not confirmed her identity, Global News and CFJC Today are both reporting that the girl killed in the collision is Jenn Gatey.

Global News says it expects to speak with her father tonight. A Facebook page for Jenn Gatey says she was active in sports including basketball, soccer and volleyball.

Friends have been posting condolences on the page today and urging anyone who might know something about the accident to contact police. “You were always there for anyone when they needed a friend or someone to talk to and cared more about your friends than anything,” wrote one.

Another wrote before the accident, “You are an amazing friend.”

Jeff Putnam, a City of Kamloops employee, said on Twitter that a candlelight vigil was being planned for 6:30 p.m. at mailboxes on Regent Crescent in Aberdeen.

Police are still seeking the driver of the vehicle that struck the teenager. They scoured the neighbourhood for several hours Friday night looking for a vehicle with damage to the front passenger side, and asking residents if they had security cameras that might have caught something.

Kara Evans, who lives near the scene of the accident, said RCMP rang her doorbell about 9:30 p.m.

The accident was discovered when a neighbour heard the sound of the collision about 6:45 p.m. and thought a deer had been hit. When he went to check and saw what had happened, he called police immediately.