With a bright smile and “beautiful soul,” Brenda Pathammavong coveted her family above all else.

On Friday, the teen was identified as one of three victims of what is believed to be a drug-related shooting in Richmond Hill this week that left her and boyfriend Premier Hoang, 18, dead and her brother, 20, in life-threatening condition in hospital.

She had just turned 16.

A statement released by the girl’s family Friday said they were “devastated” by the shooting.

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“Brenda was a positive, selfless young woman who deeply loved her family. Although she was the youngest in the family, her family and their needs were always her first priority,” the statement read. “Her family and friends will greatly miss Brenda’s always-present bright smile, giggles, intelligence and sass.”

The Brampton teen, recently transplanted from the Jane and Finch community, was found shot dead inside a red Lexus when police arrived to the Centre Green housing co-op just after midnight on Wednesday morning.

On Friday, police said they believe the shooting was “drug-related” and that the victims and at least two suspects may have known each other.

Next to her in the car, Pathammavong’s older brother and boyfriend were also severely wounded. Both men were taken to hospital where Hoang, also of Brampton, later died.

Police said Pathammavong’s brother, whose name has not been released, was still in critical condition Thursday.

Investigators are looking for two men, now described as black, in their 20s and wearing baggy clothing. Police are also interested in a silver Honda Civic seen travelling westbound on Centre St. around the time of the shooting.

The Lexus that the victims were located in is registered to Pathammavong’s family name.

Police would not say whether either man shot was known to police.

Pathammavong’s self-portraits posted online show a smiling teen wearing bright lipstick as she beams at the camera.

“Music is my remedy,” one of her profile pages reads. “Family has my heart.”

Following news of her death, those who knew Pathammavong couldn’t hide the weariness that comes from repetition. They added her name to their profiles and in “RIP” posts on Twitter beside those young lives recently ended by gunfire in the Jane and Finch area: St. Aubyn Rodney, 15, Tahj Loor-Walters, 15, Yusuf Tifow, 16, O’She Doyles-Whyte, 16, and Kwame Duodu, 15.

Most lived and went to school in the same Jane and Finch block where Brenda went to Oakdale Park Middle School for Grade 8. She was remembered by her former principal, Craig Crone, as a “nice kid.”

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She later graduated to Westview Centennial Secondary School a short distance away where she was in Grade 11, the school board confirmed.

“She was always polite, well-liked and always had a smile on her face,” said Toronto District School Board spokesperson Ryan Bird.

On Twitter, one friend posted condolences with the label “#AnotherOne.”

Others wanted the world to know she was taken “too soon,” and that she had been kind to them.

“I would describe her as always on point. She’s not the type of person to fail you when you depend on her for something,” said one friend of Brenda and her brother, who has known them for five years and asked not to be named. “She was very friendly, and extremely generous. I know that sounds like some make (believe) story but she was truly like that.”

Det.-Sgt. John Braybrook of the York police homicide unit said the reality is that the GTA is seeing younger and younger lives lost to violence.

“It’s unfortunate these young people are forced to grow up pretty quick,” he said.

Pathammavong herself was touched by death at a young age.

A picture of 18-year-old Junior Manon’s gravestone is prominently displayed on her Facebook page. Manon died in a 2010 struggle with Toronto police after he was chased and tackled by officers who were trying to arrest him for breaching his bail conditions.

Pathammavong and Manon once lived on the same block at Jane St. and Shoreham Dr., a friend said, and the older teen was like a brother to her.

“Junior is also our motivation to try our best,” the friend said. “We lived for him.”

After Hoang’s name was released by the police, friends posted messages of disbelief over his death. They remembered a teen with a sense of humour who played basketball and who many called “Premo.” There were also messages of encouragement for Pathammavong’s brother to recover.

“Premo was a wonderful boy who could make anyone smile and filled all of our hearts with joy and laughter,” a friend who only gave her name as Felicia told the Star on Friday. “If I ever had a bad day at school after hanging out with him during lunch I would feel better. He was a genuine person who deserved much more than what happened.”

Pathammavong’s funeral is planned for Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Glendale Funeral Home in Etobicoke.

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