Karli Smith was one of the eight people who were killed in a mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis. This story focuses on how Smith is being remembered.
INDIANAPOLIS — The happiest around other people.
Karli Smith, 19, is one of ten siblings. Her family describes her as being "bubbly, happy, and always smiling."
"She was the one who made everybody smile," Karen Smith, Karli's mother, said. "She was just goofy and just the life of the party."
“Not only was she funny, but she also spoke her mind”
Jazmyne Moszee met Karli Smith when she was six or seven-years old. The two were sisters by choice after their moms quickly became best friends.
“You would meet someone [Karli] that’s been through a lot,” Moszee said.
Karli and Jazmyne hung out often with Jazmyne’s sisters. They shared clothes, a room and the same dinner table every single night. This past summer Jazmyne tagged along for Karli’s graduation from George Washington High School.
“Just the type of person to care and make sure everybody is okay. And even if she did met new people, ya know that's just another person to add to the family.”
“She really made the family all together because she was like a second mom"
Jazmyne said her best friend was known to have had the best handwriting. She said Karli loved math, writing and softball. Growing up, they also played basketball and volleyball together. But above all — Karli was loving.
Karen said her daughter was extremely intuitive and never failed to learn from her mistakes.
"She learned from what she did and she took responsibility for the things that she did, if she did something wrong," Karen said. "She didn't blame anybody else."
Karli attended Crispus Attucks and George Washington High Schools. She graduated from George Washington in 2020.
Indianapolis Public Schools released the following statement.
Indianapolis Public Schools is devastated to learn about the loss of Karli Smith by this latest round of gun violence. Karli was a longtime IPS student and graduate. She attended Daniel Webster School 46 through most of elementary and middle school, and Crispus Attucks and George Washington high schools. She graduated in 2020 from George Washington, where she was known as a hardworking and dedicated student. While at Crispus Attucks, she played on the softball team and was loved by her teammates and coaches. She also played basketball and volleyball during middle school at Daniel Webster. Administrators, teachers and classmates remember Karli for her sense of humor that often generated smiles and laughter. Karli was a bright light wherever she went. She will be dearly missed by all throughout IPS who knew and loved her.
GWHS family💜🤍💜 pic.twitter.com/LG6yhrRth0
— GeorgeWashingtonHS (@GWContinentals) April 18, 2021
"Can't shake it off"
The last Jazmyne heard from Karli was at 10:59 Thursday night. The two were texting about getting a ride home and Karli told Jazmyne about her first paycheck at FedEx. Jazmyne’s last text to her was about them getting their own cars.
"I don't know how to feel. It's like you try to forget about it, kind of, but you can't shake it off," Jazmyne said.
The 18-year-old says she knows Karli would want others to go on and the way to honor her best friend, she said, is to love unconditionally.
“Spend time with your family, tell them you love them, cherish every moment because you don’t know what people are capable of," Jazmyne said.
