San Jose

‘This Is A Tremendous Loss': Friends, Family Mourn Loss of San Jose Hockey Player

Family and friends are mourning the death of a 19-year-old hockey player who was gunned down near his San Jose home.

Nearly 300 people attended a vigil Tuesday night at Shark's Ice in Fremont to remember Chris Keil.

"His heart was bigger than him," said Sandy Furtado, a family friend. "He just wanted everyone to get along. This is a tremendous loss to all of us. Chris didn't deserve this."

Keil was shot and killed late Saturday night while standing in front of a neighbor's home on Sunbeam Circle in San Jose. Police said two people drove up in a car, with one person getting out of the vehicle and shot Keil before the suspect sped off.

Keil wore No. 90 for the Santa Clara Black Hawks and many friends wore the team jersey at Tuesday's vigil. Keil's father also serves as the vice president of the Northern California Hockey Association.

"Any of you who read my Facebook post know that Christopher will be in our hearts and heads for the rest of our lives," father Mark Keil said. "That's who Christopher was and is."

Keil's teammates and friends can't believe his life was cut short.

"He was a great guy, knew everybody," neighbor Linnie McIntyre said. "If he had any fault it's that he respected everybody in life."

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