CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — As college scholarship letters come in for Hailey Stephens from multiple universities, her family is beginning to plan her funeral.
The 17-year-old Casa Grande Union High School senior died on Sunday after she was shot in the head at a house party hours earlier.
“She was a great kid,” Vanessa Stephens told 12News about her daughter. “She far exceeded our expectations all the time.”
Hailey was injured around 1:30 a.m. near East Silver Reef Road and North Casa Grande Avenue, where a party had sprung up in a vacant home.
Casa Grande police said an altercation between an unknown number of party attendees took place and resulted in shots being fired. Hailey Stephens and another 17-year-old girl were hit. Both were victims of stray bullets, police said.
Hailey Stephens was rushed to a hospital in Phoenix in critical condition but doctors couldn’t save her. She passed away around 5 p.m. The other teen girl was shot in the arm and is expected to survive, police said.
“My whole life was focused on my daughter and making her life fruitful,” Vanessa Stephens said. “I always tried to go above and beyond, but I know now why I was like that, she only had those 17 years with us, and I’m glad for everything. I’m glad I made her my number one priority.”
Vanessa Stephens said Hailey Stephens was not only a great daughter but also an athletic cheerleader who excelled academically. The teen had a 4.3 GPA and was looking forward to her next chapter in life as a college student, the mother said.
“Through the past months, I had seen glimpses of her maturing, not only from her face, her little chubby nose getting smaller and skinner, but her mentality,” Vanessa Stephens said.
As of Monday evening, Casa Grande police had not made any arrests in the deadly shooting. Detectives are asking anyone who was at the party to come forward.
12News spoke to the owner of the home where the party was held. The owners said the house had been vacant for about two months and did not know how people got inside.
Several cans of beer, liquor bottles, and trash were left inside the home. 12News counted at least a dozen bullet holes in the home, a brick wall, and a nearby trash bin.
“Hailey had a huge life left in front of her,” Vanessa Stephens said. “Somebody did something wrong and they should pay for their crime. It’s a horrible, awful crime. You need to let the police department know… if people know stuff, they need to say it.”
Hailey Stephens father, Chris Stephens, is a firefighter in Casa Grande. Several team members went to the home Monday and paid their respects. The family said they were grateful for their and the community’s support.
“I know they didn’t go there meaning to shoot my daughter in the head, but they did,” Chris Stephens said. “I hope they feel the pain that we feel and I hope they’re sorry for it.”
Hailey Stephens parents are hopeful someone will pay for the pain caused to their family. While they let the investigation take its course, they want to keep their daughter’s memory alive.
“Share your snaps with one another when they come up on your memories, that’s how she lives on,” Vanessa Stephens said. “That’s how we remember Hailey, for the rest of our lives because she’s not here with us for that anymore.”
The Local 3752 Professional Firefighters of Casa Grande union created a GoFundMe account to help the Stephens family with the medical and funeral expenses. Those interested in donating can click here.
Casa Grande police are asking anyone with information regarding the party and the shooting to contact Detective Nicholas Elliott at (520) 421-8700 or email Nicholas_Elliott@casagrande.gov
Silent Witness:
Arizona's Silent Witness program allows people to send in tips and share information about crimes happening within their local communities.
The program shares unsolved felony case information in multiple ways, including TV, radio and social media.
Anyone who has information on a crime or recognizes a suspect described by the program is asked to call 480-948-6377, go to the program's website online or download the Silent Witness app to provide a tip. The identity of anyone who submits a tip is kept anonymous.
Calls to Silent Witness are answered 24/7 by a live person and submitted tips are accepted at all times. Submitted tips are then sent to the detective(s) in charge of the specific case.
Individuals who submit tips that lead to an arrest or indictment in the case can get a reward of up to $1,000.