Alaina Housley was killed alongside 11 others in a shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, on Wednesday.
Tamera Mowry-Housley is mourning her "sweet" niece.
The former Sister, Sister star took to Instagram on Thursday evening to pay tribute to 18-year-old Alaina Housley, who was killed alongside 11 others, including a sheriff's sergeant, in a shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, on Wednesday.
"Alaina. My sweet, sweet Alaina. My heart breaks. I’m still in disbelief. It’s not fair how you were taken and how soon you were taken from us," Tamera wrote alongside a slideshow of photos of her niece. "I was blessed to know you ever since you were 5. You stole my heart. I will miss our inside jokes, us serenading at the piano. Thank you for being patient with me learning how to braid your hair, and I will never forget our duet singing the national anthem at Napa’s soccer game."
"I love you. I love you. I love you. You are gonna make one gorgeous angel. My heart and prayers are with every victim of this tragedy," she added.
Tamera's husband, Adam Housely, also tweeted a statement from his brother and sister-in-law, Arik and Hannah Housley, on Thursday.
"Words can't describe our grief over losing our daughter, Alaina. She was everything we could hope for in a child: kind, smart, beautiful and respectful," the statement read. "She continued the family's tradition of attending Pepperdine University. She was happy to be a Wave. We are grateful to the Pepperdine community for their support during this difficult time."
"We want to honor Alaina by focusing on how she lived her life. She would have enjoyed the public debate that is certain to happen after this tragedy. But she would have insisted that it be respectful with an eye toward solving these senseless shootings," the statement continued. "We send our condolences to the family and friends of the other victims. We especially thank Sgt. Ron Helus' family for their sacrifice."
ET spoke with Adam on Thursday, after he had discovered that his niece had died. Earlier that day, he was outside the bar, trying to call his niece and working with the authorities to locate her.
"I mean, you know, I've been on your side the whole time, and to be on this side's not fun," Adam told ET, referring to his work as a journalist. "She was an incredible, beautiful girl who didn't hurt anybody and was excited to go to Italy for a program overseas. Senseless, man, just senseless."
Struggling for words, Housley added, "She was a good girl. She was a good girl. Really good girl."
See more in the video below.
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