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Florida shooting victim's links to Co Antrim

Cara Loughran as a flowergirl with aunt Lindsay Fontana on her wedding day
Cara Loughran as a flowergirl with aunt Lindsay Fontana on her wedding day Cara Loughran as a flowergirl with aunt Lindsay Fontana on her wedding day

THE Co Antrim grandparents of a 14-year-old girl who lost her life in the Florida high school shooting are "broken-hearted" by their loss, their parish priest has said.

Cara Loughran was one of 17 students killed when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the US on Wednesday.

The teenager's father emigrated from Toomebridge around 20 years ago and her grandparents Paddy and Ellie and extended family still live in the village.

Her grandparents, who are believed to be in their seventies, are originally from Belfast but have been living in the Meadows estate in Toome for several decades.

The couple's parish priest, Fr Patrick McWilliams said they are regular Mass-goers at St Oliver Plunkett Church.

Fr McWilliams, who has spoken to the Loughrans, described them as “very private”.

“They are just broken-hearted,” he said. “The wee family was coming home for the summer, as they do regularly, but that’s not going to happen now.”

Cara’s father’s brother, who lives in Toome, is understood to be preparing to fly to the US to help with funeral preparations.

Cara's older brother Liam (17) is understood to have witnessed the shooting but survived.

Before news broke yesterday of Cara's death, her mother Denise Loughran said the family hoped she was still alive.

"Her phone must be in her backpack, and they made them drop their backpacks when they ran out," Mrs Loughran told the Washington Post.

"This has just been chaos. I couldn't get near the school.

"My husband took a bike to try to get there, and they ended up sending him to the hotel, where they said they were taking the kids. But she's not there."

Her parents camped out at the Marriott Hotel, waiting for news.

However, her aunt Lindsay Fontana later broke the news on Facebook that she had been killed in the shooting.

"We are absolutely gutted. Cara was 14 years old. She was an excellent student, she loved the beach and she loved our girls."

Drake School of Irish Dance in South Florida, which Cara attended, said she was "a beautiful soul and always had a smile on her face".

"We are heartbroken as we send our love and support to her family during this horrible time," it said in a statement