Syracuse, N.Y. — Karlianne Short was determined to be your friend.
The 17-year-old was a recent Henninger High School grad with college aspirations. She is being remembered as a defuser of drama who brought people together.
She was fatally shot the night of July 4th outside a convenience store across from the Parkside Commons apartments on East Fayette Street in Syracuse. She was out to get a bottle of water from the store that night, a close friend said Thursday.
More than 60 family members and friends gathered Thursday at Lincoln Park to remember her.
When she was 11, Mikeya Wright was asked to be Karlianne’s godmother. Karlianne was just recently born.
“I was young myself. I didn’t know much about children,” Wright said. “But she absolutely helped me learn about children. That’s where my love for children comes from, helping raise Karli.”
Karlianne was the glue in family disputes, Wright said.
“She hates drama. Hates arguing with people,” she said. “Everytime we had some little family drama, she would try to make everybody happy again, annoy us a little bit to get us laughing.”
Wright credits her for the reason their moms are still best friends.
The last time she saw Karlianne, Wright said there was a family gathering for July 4th.
She told Wright to enjoy the day and to not let the drama get to her.
“After that she said, ‘I love you guys,’ and walked out the house,” Wright said. “That was the last we spoke to Karli.”
Karlianne was in a group of people around 10 p.m. outside the convenience store at 2002 E. Fayette St. getting a bottle of water when someone opened fire and shot her in the back. She died at Crouse Hospital shortly after.
Wright’s lasting memory of Karlianne is of her “being the little child who wouldn’t stop following me.”
Chelsea Brewer met Karlianne three years ago while passing Wright’s porch.
“She was just this little girl sitting on the porch,” she said. “I said hi. She said hi. The next…
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