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Accidental shooting victim on Salt Spring mourned as teen with a big heart

Alistair Hayne, a student at Gulf Islands Secondary School, has been identified as the victim of an accidental shooting on Salt Spring Island.

 Alistair Hayne, a student at Gulf Islands Secondary School, has been identified as the victim of an accidental shooting on Salt Spring Island.   Photograph By Hayne FamilyAlistair Hayne, a student at Gulf Islands Secondary School, has been identified as the victim of an accidental shooting on Salt Spring Island. Photograph By Hayne Family

The teenager who died after an accidental shooting on Salt Spring Island had a big heart and loved to make others laugh, friends say.

Alistair Hayne, 16, died after a friend accidentally shot him with a firearm early Sunday morning. It’s unclear if alcohol or drugs were involved.

Vani Engel, 18, met Hayne in middle school when Hayne was a chubby kid who wanted to hang out with the older kids at the skate park.

The two eventually became friends and Engel said he discouraged Hayne from hanging out with friends he thought were a bad influence.

Engel would see Hayne every day at Gulf Islands Secondary School and they’d often hang out after school, playing video games, listening to music or writing rap lyrics. Sometimes, the friends would head up Juniper Mountain and take in the view.

Engel said teens on Salt Spring Island often stick to their own cliques, but Hayne transcended those boundaries and made friends with everyone.

“He never looked down on anyone. He was always open-minded, open-hearted and loved everyone’s presence,” Engel said.

Hayne had a goofy sense of humour but never bullied other teens or gained laughs at others’ expense.

“In three or four years of friendship, I never witnessed him being mean or purposely bullying anyone,” Engel said.

Hayne was confident and not afraid to show his sensitive side with friends.

Tributes poured in on social media as friends shared funny text-message conversations with Hayne, goofy photos and fond memories.

An online fundraiser for Hayne’s family has raised more than $11,000 since Monday.

Salt Spring Island RCMP said six youths were at a home early Sunday morning when one of them was accidentally shot. RCMP have not said what kind of firearm was used or who it belonged to.

Hayne was transported to a Vancouver hospital, where he died.

The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit is assisting Salt Spring Island RCMP with the investigation. The B.C. Coroners Service is also investigating.

kderosa@timescolonist.com

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