VANCOUVER, Wash. — Family and friends say the world is a darker place today without Liliya Zagariya. The 20-year-old was shot and killed while working the front desk at a PeaceHealth medical office building in Vancouver earlier this week.
Sherri McMillan has known the family for years and said they're loved by many in the community. She described Lily as sweet, humble and kind.
"She was just a serving, hard-working, giving young woman that loved her family and was very close with her mom and dad, best friends and her sisters," McMillan said. "It's really horrific. It's devastating."
The young, promising soul was taken suddenly and senselessly.
"She was volunteering and wanted to become a paramedic," McMillan said. "She's someone that is just a gem -- like an angel; a sweet, sweet person."
Liliya, "Lilly," as family and friends call her, worked as a concierge for PeaceHealth in Vancouver and was working the front desk of a building near the hospital on Tuesday.
Investigators said 58-year-old Douglas Moore walked into the lobby and shot Lily before turning the gun on himself. Police said there was no evidence that shows the two knew each other and there's no word on a motive.
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Lily was a lifeguard at triathlon events McMillan holds in the area and Lily and her mom help McMillan out around the house every week.
"Lily had just texted my daughter the day before because they were coming over the next day," McMillan said. "It's just so surreal and hard to believe that it actually happened."
She earned her EMT certificate this year and was volunteering with Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue.
"She was on that path, and it's just so tragic it was cut short," said. Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Public Information Officer Lt. Bryan Ditterick.
Although Lily was with them a short time, the department grieves the loss of a sister and someone dedicated to helping others.
"We're still asking why," Ditterick said. "She was part of our family. She was going to be in our fire academy in January, in a couple weeks, and she was always helpful on calls. A brand new EMT and she was learning, she was vibrant, she always had a smile on her face."
It's hard to imagine what the Zagariya family feels right now, right before Christmas.
"Their dad is broken, their mom just is inconsolable and her sisters are just trying to be there for everybody," McMillan said. "It's a really close family and I don't know how you heal from something like this, how you manage and navigate through this. It just makes me think: hold on to the people that you love. Give them a big extra hug."
The Zagariyas started a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses. People have already donated tens of thousands of dollars.
A reminder: if you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is out there. The number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.