‘Extremely heartbreaking’: Friends, family mourn Penticton woman’s shooting death

A Penticton mother was shot and killed this weekend was just 21 years old.

Friends have identified the victim as Alexa Knodel, who was described as a “beautiful soul” after her sudden June 7 death.

“She’s the kind of person who is so amazing it’s hard to explain,” Jennifer Hanson said. “You just have to know her.”

Hanson said she had been close friends with Knodel since 2018 and her death is “extremely heartbreaking.” She agreed to speak with iNFOnews.ca, but only through text message as Knodel’s death is still recent and she said it was too difficult to speak by phone.

Penticton RCMP said officers were called to an apartment on the 600-block of Lakeshore Drive, where a woman died after a “significant” gunshot wound. They did arrest one person, but later released them and the investigation is ongoing.

Hanson said the shooting took place Saturday morning, but she isn’t sure what exactly happened to her friend.

“I’ve heard people’s sides of the story, but they are all different so it’s hard to get closure when people are lying about such a horrible event,” she said. “But yes, I want people to know how good of a person she was and how she was the last person to deserve this. I cannot think of one bad thing she has done.”

Hanson started an online fundraiser for Knodel’s family, which will serve to support the victim’s family, including her young son and his father, whom she did not identify when speaking with iNFOnews.ca.

Penticton RCMP said her death was an isolated event and there is no public safety concern.

“This is a tragic event. We would like to offer our condolences to the victim’s friends and family at this time. We have engaged our victim services team and they are supporting those in need,” Staff Sgt Scott Hanry of Penticton RCMP said in a June 9 news release