Michigan high school senior killed at pre-prom party at Florence Event Hall (With Pictures)

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By JESSICA JERREAT

A 17-year-old senior at a Michigan high school has been killed and three women were injured after gunshots were fired at a pre-prom party in Michigan. Saginaw High School student Tonquinisha McKinely was shot as hundreds of teenagers, in their prom dresses and tuxedos, gathered in the car park of Florence Event Hall on Thursday evening.

Uniqua Wicker, one of the girls injured in the attack had been celebrating her 18th birthday, according to the victim's friends. The other victims were 19-year-old Raven Howard, who was shot in the leg, and Pamela Jordan, 39, who was shot in the foot. Multiple gunmen were involved in the shooting, which police believe is linked to gangs in the north east. A police spokesman told ABC12 shots were fired after an argument became heated. A man who was walking his dog at the time of the fatal shooting told MLive he heard a series of bangs, but thought it was people setting off fireworks. Adam Veltre said that as he walked back to his brother's house he saw people fleeing.

'There was cars peeling out in every direction. There was people running. You can see the tires tracks on the grass. People were just peeling out in every direction. Their car doors weren't even closed. They were hanging out of their cars, just trying to get away,' he said. Police had warned parents to not let their children attend pre-prom parties, because of fights in previous years. Although the Saginaw High School prom was being held in a venue about 15 minutes away, teenagers had gathered in the car park to start the celebrations early. 'Every year, we usually have an incident of some sort. Last year, we had shots fired. The year before, we had a fight,' Officer Reggie Williams said. 'Nothing good comes from it.'

The school district board had also told students not to gather in large groups before their prom, Superintendent Charlton Jenkins told MLive. The group gathered outside Florence Event Hall for the pre-prom party had already been moved on from a different location earlier in the evening. 'This isn't a district-sponsored event,' Superintendent Jenkins said. 'It's something students and parents do on their own.' In the wake of the fatal shooting, students from nearby Arthur Hill School, who are due to attend prom on Friday, have been warned against meeting beforehand. As police gathered evidence at the scene of the shooting, Officer Williams said that witnesses had come forward to help name those responsible.

'That's one of the bright spots in this investigation,' He said. Tonquinisha is the twelfth person to be killed in Saginaw, which has a population of just over 51,000 this year. The other victims have ranged in age from 11 to 52, according to MLive. Saginaw High School went ahead with its prom last night at the Crooked Creek Banquet Center in Thomas Township. Grief counselors were on hand at the high school today to offer support to the students.

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