NEW ORLEANS — Loved ones are remembering 12-year-old Todriana Peters after she was killed by gunfire on Sunday.

Peters was leaving a graduation party in the Lower Ninth Ward when she was shot to death.

“We pray for this family Lord God,” said a loved one at Todriana’s vigil Wednesday night.

Family and friends are leaning on their faith and each other for support and healing. Several dozen people packed the Lakefront with pink and white balloons in her memory.

“She was one of those old souls. She always seemed older than she was,” said Bonnie Peters, Todriana’s grandmother.

Peters was with her granddaughter just hours before she died. Some of her fondest memories are hanging out on the porch and her granddaughter’s cooking. Todriana was also an avid dancer and would convince her grandmother to get in on the fun.

“She loved what they call TikTok,” Peters said. “She was ticking tocking all day. She would get up in her room and she would show us what she filmed. We would laugh.”

London Smith went to school with Todriana and also enjoyed dancing with her friend.

“She was nice and sweet. She had a good heart,” Smith said. “I don’t have any words. It’s like I never thought she would die.”

Todriana just graduated sixth grade. School leaders are struggling to understand her death.

“She was a leader amongst her peers, a firecracker and every adult in the building knew Todriana,” said Vasy McCoi, school director at Schaumburg Elementary School. “She was going to be something and going somewhere.”

Ultimately, Todriana’s grandmother has this message for whomever pulled the trigger; “I forgive him because you know not what you do.”

Peters said, “I’m praying for you that you do the right thing and that you come to repent and be sorry for what you’ve done and that your sole can be saved.”