UVM hosts vigil in honor of student killed in shooting
By Adrian Pastor
Click here for updates on this story
BURLINGTON, Vermont (WPTZ) — Students at the University of Vermont honored one of their own on Monday, with many saying that the death of Kayla Noonan left a lasting mark on the community.
Twenty-two-year-old Kayla Noonan is remembered as a thoughtful person who always wore her heart on her sleeve.
“She was a member of our community, and we lost her and we need to be here for each other, whether we know each other or not to heal together and to share our memories,” said Maddie Henson, a student at UVM who organized Monday’s vigil.
On the morning of July 25, Burlington police say 27-year-old Mikal Dixon used an AR-15 style rifle to shoot and kill Noonan at her North Winooski Avenue home.
He also shot another 22-year-old woman before turning the gun on himself.
“She died in a tragic way, and we want to acknowledge that it was domestic violence, and it was preventable, but we also don’t want that to take down who she was as a person and how she lived and how she walked and breathed spoke with everyone,” Henson said. “Tonight is really about Kayla.”
NBC5 reached out to the Noonan family ahead of Monday’s vigil.
In a statement, the Noonan family said:
“Our entire family would like to extend its sincere gratitude to Kayla’s friends and the entire UVM community for the outpouring of prayer, support and hope, to know that she was loved and had a positive impact on so many at her home away from home means the world to us.”
Those who attended Monday’s vigil received purple flowers symbolizing honor and the dedication to ending domestic violence.
Erica Caloiero, Vice Provost for Student Affairs at the University of Vermont, reflected on the efforts of students looking to honor Kayla.
“Seeing students plan a vigil has affirmed our community is one centered on care. Knowing students are coming together to grieve, to mourn and to honor Kayla’s memory — it’s a really import part of what our community can do at this time,” Caloiero said.
NBC5 News reached out to the Burlington Police Department for an update on the condition of the second woman who was shot and were told that she is alive.
We will continue to bring any updates as they come into our newsroom.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
