Police identify teens killed in murder-suicide outside West Omaha restaurant
Millard North students, teachers gather to remember Zara ‘A.J.’ Sobansky
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Police have identified the two teens killed in a murder-suicide outside a West Omaha restaurant Friday night.
According to police reports shared with First Alert 6, 17-year-old Zara Sobansky, also known as “A.J.,” and 18-year-old Tristan Doner were the teens involved in the incident.
According to an OPD report, officers responded to the scene in the parking lot of Stokes restaurant just after 9 p.m. Friday.
In that parking lot, officers found Sobansky in a vehicle and Doner on the ground nearby. According to OPD, both individuals were killed by gunshot wounds; Homicide Unit investigators determined that the Doner shot Sobansky before taking his own life.
Millard Public Schools made its crisis team available to students at A.J.’s school on Monday.
“Ware heartbroken for the loss of one of our students, Millard North rising junior, Zara ‘A.J.’ Sobansky,” a school spokesperson said in an email to First Alert 6 on Monday. “...We will continue to offer support to students and staff as they need it.”
Teachers and friends also gathered for a vigil Monday at the parking spot where A.J. had parked behind the restaurant on Friday night.
“It’s so cliche to say that someone lit up a room, but she really did,” Millard North teacher Whitney Hansen told First Alert 6. “She is the most radiant person that any of ever knew. She was so talented with poetry, with acting, with singing. And the world lost a very big light.”
Among those at the gathering were students from the show choir and poetry team; A.J. had been a member in both of those activities.
A message from her family was also passed along to First Alert 6 on Monday afternoon:
“AJ was smart, talented, and completely unique. An excellent student, AJ was actively involved outside the classroom as well. The sophomore year was a blur of show choir practices and performances, plus forensics, poetry, and theater activities. This spring, AJ shared the stage with friends for the Millard North performance of Mean Girls. We are so proud of AJ and thankful for the time we had. We will forever love AJ.”
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