Cal State Long Beach Student Among Those Killed In Paris Terror Attacks

LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) — A design student at Cal State Long Beach was killed in Friday night's terror attacks in Paris, the school confirmed Saturday.

The victim was identified by a CSULB spokesman as Nohemi Gonzalez, 23, of El Monte.

"The entire city of Long Beach and our community mourn the loss of Nohemi Gonzalez. She was a member of our community. She had friends here. She enjoyed Long Beach. She loved this university and her classmates. We as a city could not be more heartbroken," Robert Garcia, the mayor of Long Beach, said in part.

Michael LaForte‎, a lecturer at the CSULB Department of Design, posted a remembrance of Gonzalez on Facebook Saturday morning.

"Yesterday, we, the CSULB Design Family, lost Nohemi Gonzalez in the Paris terrorist attacks. Nohemi was a kind, thoughtful, generous, and talented student, dear to all who knew her," the statement said.

Gonzalez was described by faculty on Saturday as "buoyant," "joyous" and "energetic."

She was a junior who was in Paris attending Strate College of Design. She was one of 17 CSULB students taking part in the semester abroad program.

Gonzalez had been out dining with some of the other CSULB students when the location was targeted. Uhlenkamp said the school has confirmed that the other 16 students remained in Paris and were safe.

"I'm deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Long Beach State University student Nohemi Gonzalez. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this sad time," CSULB President Jane Close Conoley said on Saturday. "Our university stands with our nearly 80 foreign exchange students from France as they struggle with this tragedy.

"We will extend all support necessary to comfort them. We will also extend support to all students, faculty and staff who are in need."

The university will hold a vigil at 4 p.m. Sunday to mourn Gonzalez's passing and other victims of the attacks.

Authorities said Saturday that 129 people were killed in the attacks at various sites in Paris.

Meanwhile, Paula Selleck of Cal State Fullerton said there were 10 students from the university studying abroad, including seven in France and three in Spain, who were in Paris on excursion. All students have been accounted for and are safe, Selleck said.

Gov. Brown issued a statement in which he said: "On behalf of all Californians, Anne and I extend our deepest condolences to the Gonzalez family, Nohemi's friends and the entire Long Beach State community impacted by this senseless tragedy."

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