Vigil held for dentist who loved ballet shot to death in Oakland's Little Saigon

OAKLAND, Calif. - Loved ones held a somber vigil Monday night to remember Dr. Lili Xu, a dentist who loved ballet, killed in Oakland's Little Saigon when she struggled with an armed thief. 

"Now everything's gone," said Georg Shi, who became emotional while addressing friends and community leaders during the vigil.

He said Xu was a student at his East Bay Shi Ballet School.

The event was held along 5th Avenue where the 60-year-old was shot and killed around 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon. 

Surveillance video shows a black Mercedes pulling up with Xu and her longtime partner inside and parking in the Little Saigon neighborhood.  Within seconds, it shows a white Lexus pulling up alongside them

On the video, there were the sound of screams and gunshots.

"I heard three gunshots, one, two, three.  I ran up to my window and saw a woman sitting right there with a man holding her," Brendan Payne said, adding that the shooting happened right by his home and that he ran outside to help.

MORE: Dentist killed in attempted robbery in Oakland's Little Saigon

"We did everything we could to make her as comfortable as possible.  We brought towels. Twelve people called an ambulance immediately 
It was just horrible," said Payne.    

A source said Xu was shot twice in the back and that the thieves attempted to rob her of her purse.  

Police said she died at the hospital.

Friends struggled to make sense of the senseless violence.

"All of a sudden,  I was shocked.  What?  Lili is our very close friend,"  Eve Zhang said. 

She first met Xu many years ago as her patient.  

Xu's son and friends said she was a beloved dentist with a popular practice at the Pacific Renaissance Plaza in Oakland Chinatown. 

Her death has shaken the community.

"I get so mad and upset too, so hopefully, we get together and do something (for) our community," said Xu's patient Linda Lei who also owns a business in the same plaza as Xu's dental practice. 
 
"She's really nice and really responsible. I very like her.  I can't believe this news," said Regina Lam, who owns a clothing store and who also was a patient of Xu's.   
 

Zhang shared a video which showed Xu celebrating her birthday recently with friends at the ballet school she attended.

Another video shows her dancing.  

Friends describe her as graceful, hardworking, friendly and generous.

"She's so very kind and very passionate. She's very passion about learning everything," said Zhang.  

 Xu left behind her longtime life partner and her 32-year-old  son. 

Community members are demanding better protection and more police patrols.

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU