A 17-year-old Birmingham student clung to life overnight Tuesday, but lost the fight Wednesday morning, about 14 hours after she took a bullet to the head meant for someone else.

Nyteria Spigner, a junior at Huffman High School, was pronounced dead at UAB Hospital. She is the city's 35th homicide in 2018, and the second Huffman student to die by gunfire in less than two months.

Family said Spigner was shot in the jaw and the bullet then traveled to her brain. They said she was outgoing, made good grades and was set to graduate next year. She was close to her mother and her sisters, and she loved children. Birmingham City Schools officials described her as a "scholar" and offered their prayers to the family.

Spigner's mother, Latasha Spigner, was at the rec center with her daughte when the shooting happened, posted this on Facebook hours later: "I'm going to miss your beautiful smile your cooking and everything about you.You had a heart good as gold you will give the shirt off your back your up there with your big guy and the rest of our love ones now I have two angels watching over me rest on my sweet Ny Ny I will give anything to have you back here with me and your family baby why didn't you fight y didn't you fight.You will always live through me and you will never be forgotten I promise you that baby LongLive My Sweet NY NY."

The shooting happened shortly before 8:45 p.m. Tuesday. Police said there were 30 to 40 people gathered outside the rec center on 37th Avenue North when two women got into an altercation over a man. At some point, guns were drawn, and shots rang out.

Spigner was trying to flee the melee when she was struck by a bullet. The driver of the vehicle drove to a nearby Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Station No. 23 to get help. From there she was rushed to UAB Hospital where she was placed on life support.

Prayers for all of our students and faculty today, especially Huffman High School. This violence must stop! — Jerry Tate (@MrJTate) April 25, 2018

Lt. Pete Williston said Spigner was not involved in the fight and was an innocent bystander.

Police said that interviews with witnesses led detectives to a 26-year-old female suspect. As of Wednesday morning, she was being held in the Birmingham City Jail but later released after authorities said new information eliminated her as a suspect. Williston said investigators are following all leads to identify those involved.

Just last month, on March 7, 17-year-old Courtlin Arrington, a senior at Huffman, was killed in a shooting inside the school. It was about 3:45 p.m. on a Wednesday and school was dismissing for the day when the gunfire erupted. There were other students in the classroom - some just feet away - when the shooting happened.

Authorities have not said where Arrington was shot, but rescue workers said she was given CPR at the scene and en route to UAB Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival at 4:16 p.m. Classmate Michael Jerome Barber, a junior at the school, Barber suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg. He has since been charged with manslaughter and certain persons forbidden to possess a pistol for bringing a gun onto campus.

"Last night's tragedy in Inglenook is heart breaking,'' said Birmingham police Deputy Chief Henry Irby. "As a result of not being able to peacefully resolve issues without violence, families are now grieving."

"There are better ways to handle conflict without violence,'' Irby said. "Working through conflict by communication is the best way to resolve them. Violence is never the answer."

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham police homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.