Dadeville shooting victim KeKe Smith planned to study nursing at UAB: ‘She was a jewel’

Dadeville shooting victim KeKe Smith planned to study nursing at UAB: ‘She was a jewel’

Shaunkiva “KeKe” Smith, 17, played sports and was looking forward to going to college. She was going to attend the University of Alabama in Birmingham in the fall to be a nurse.

“She was just a great kid,” said her grandfather, Clifford Toney, in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon.

Smith was one of four young people killed at a “Sweet 16″ party Saturday night in Dadeville. Toney hosted a news conference at his funeral home, Integrity Funeral Home, Monday where the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus called for gun safety reform.

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The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Wednesday they had arrested three people, including two teenagers, in connection with the shooting.

Toney said Smith wanted to be a nurse and looked forward to graduating high school this spring.

“And she would always say ‘Granddaddy, I don’t care how many funerals you got, you better be at my graduation,’” he said.

Smith was going to be the first of Toney’s grandchildren to graduate high school. The two talked often.

“We always just talked about, you know, growing up, and making sure that you do the right thing and make sure you make good decisions and have good choices,” he said.

Toney said she was a very smart girl and was liked by a lot of people.

“She was a jewel,” Toney said.

Guns are the leading cause of death for children in the country and in Alabama.

Smith also played multiple sports. Toney said she loved soccer, volleyball, track and “all of that.” He said his granddaughter used to love listening to music. She also used to love to dress up and wear different hairstyles and have eyelashes on.

Toney said that Smith was always excited around the holidays and always had a lot of fun.

“And I miss her and talking to her,” he said.