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Highland High School students who make up an anti-violence group called Empower had been planning an awareness-raising event for weeks.

But as Empower members pointed out, Wednesday's rally wasn't supposed to hit quite so close to home.

It wasn't supposed to be about the shooting death of someone they actually knew.

After popular Highland student Ryan Vigil was gunned down in northeast Albuquerque on Oct. 18, there was an unavoidable change in plans - but not focus.

Vigil, 17, was a prominent member of Empower and a recognizable face for many Highland students. He was shot to death after an apparent altercation, police said.

According to a police spokeswoman, Vigil was with a group of teens who were throwing golf balls at people near Louisiana and Lomas boulevards. A man followed Vigil and a friend to General Arnold Street and Copper AvenueNortheast and fired a shot through their car's rear window. The bullet struck and killed Vigil.

Police are looking for Raymond Lollis, named as a suspect in the shooting.

Wednesday's talk for Highland's senior class, in observance of the National Day of Concern about Young People and Gun Violence, couldn't help but be about what happened to Vigil, a student leader and star on the baseball team.

Analise Romero, 17, said she was recruited by Vigil to join Empower two years ago.

"I've been raised not to be violent and things like that," Romero said. "But I see it all the time that other people don't know (any other way to be)."

Empower has been working since before Vigil's death to get students to sign pledges against gun violence. Romero said that while some people didn't take the pledges seriously before, many students were eager to sign after hearing about Vigil's death.

"We got a big amount done on Thursday, but on Monday when we came back after all this stuff had happened, we just had a huge pile of pledges and you didn't even have to ask," Romero said.

Romero said that while Vigil's death has brought Highland students closer together, it shouldn't have to take an incident like this to imprint the importance of nonviolence on their peers.

Representatives and public officials from the Mayor's Office all the way up to Congress were present to offer their condolences and demonstrate their support for the students.

Highland Principal Nikki Dennis also spoke to the students, urging them not to underestimate the power they have to influence others.

"Small acts can change our lives," Dennis said.

Joseph Marckstein, 18, was on the baseball team with Vigil and the two were close friends. Wednesday was his first day back at school since the tragedy.

"It's good to get the word out, but sometimes it's just overwhelming (talking about Vigil's death)," Marckstein said. "Violence isn't the answer. We've just got to keep fighting it."

Romero added that it's important to make a difference while people have the opportunity.

"You never know when it's going to be your last moment," Romero said. "Thursday, we were putting stuff away, and Ryan was leaving and he said goodbye. But no one said goodbye back. No one took the time to say goodbye, just because we were busy. You really never know."