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Karli Short Remembered As Someone With A 'Beautiful Smile That Lit Up A Room'

MCKEESPORT, Pa. (KDKA) -- Friends and family of Karli Short held a memorial in her honor on Thursday.

Short and her unborn baby died last week after she was shot in the head in McKeesport.

During Wednesday's memorial, loved ones talked about the person short was but also called for an end to senseless violence they say is plaguing our country.

"This time it was our community. Next time it could be yours," said Cary Petty, Short's aunt. "It could be your family. If you know something say something, please."

"Somebody that had a beautiful smile that lit up a room," said Troy, Short's uncle. "Somebody that planned a birthday for her aunt right across the way here and went all out just to make people smile, who loved cooking, who was excited to be a mother, who had the most confidence when she walked in any room. She owned the room."

Her loved ones pleaded with the public to help find her killer.

"To have that life taken away, I just hope somebody is moved by compassion and leads them to do the right thing," Troy said.

Short, the daughter of former Penn State and NFL linebacker Brandon Short, was killed last week after being shot in the head. She was five months pregnant.

Her father was not at the memorial but paid tribute to his daughter on Facebook, calling her the light of his life.

Meanwhile, the mayor of McKeesport, who attended Wednesday's memorial, joined the family in calling on the public to do their part in helping find the killer.

"You have no idea how many crimes would be solved and cases closed and justice being served to theses senseless acts of violence if we just had a little input from the community," Mayor Michael Cherepko said. "If you know something come forward."

Family members and the community have put up a $20,000 reward for information that helps lead to an arrest.

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