The first victim of Saturday night's shooting spree has been identified. 25-year-old Tiana Carruthers is the woman who was shot several times outside of the Meadows Townhomes.

Carruthers mother released a statement through Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell, and expressed the family's appreciation for the thoughts and prayers being extended to her daughter and the rest of the family in the aftermath of the shooting spree.

The statement from the family reads as follows:

Our hearts reach out to all families touched by this senseless tragedy.

We appreciate every prayer and tender thought extended to us. We also offer special thanks to our law enforcement teams, EMS professionals and the doctors and nurses who are providing us compassionate care.

WKTV reports that Carruthers saved the lives of children Saturday night when she felt uneasy after a car pulled into the parking lot. She reportedly put herself between the children and the car and then told to children to go inside.

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