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STILLWATER — A 21-year-old man died after a shooting at a house party near the Oklahoma State University campus early Sunday.

Stillwater police officers received calls from several OSU students who were at a party at the 500 block of South West Street at 12:08 a.m. Sunday, where they reported Alexander Vierling had been shot in the head, according to a police news release.

Initial reports from witnesses indicate the shooting occurred when a party attendee was handling a pistol they believed was a toy, the release states.

Vierling was transported to Stillwater Medical Center and was later transferred to an Oklahoma City hospital, where he died after being taken off life support, a family member told the Tulsa World on Sunday afternoon.

The family member did not wish to be identified but said Vierling was a Stillwater High School alumnus and had also attended OSU.

“He saved his words for the perfect moment and was always smiling,” the family member said. “We’re all just really shocked and a lot of people were touched by him. He was hard-working and passionate for anything he wanted to accomplish.”