Heather Heyer, 32-Year-Old Paralegal, Identified As Charlottesville Victim

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — The 32-year-old woman killed when a car plowed into a group of protesters at the site of a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville Saturday was identified by authorities as Charlottesville resident Heather Heyer.

The Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into the circumstances surrounding the car attack and police say they have charged the driver, James Alex Fields, 20, of Ohio. The attacks marked a deadly end to a day filled with violence as white supremacists, neo-Nazis and members of the alt-right clashed with counter-protesters in the Virginia city where white nationalists have descended in the recent past to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Heyer worked as a paralegal at Miller Law Group in Charlottesville.

Watch: Mother Of Charlottesville Victim Speaks Out

"Heather Heyer was murdered while protesting against hate," A GoFundMe page set up in Heyer's honor read.

The fund has raised over a $100,000 as of Sunday afternoon and Heyer's family is in charge of the funds and of deciding where the funds will be released. Heyer was born in Ruckersville, Virginia and graduated from William Monroe High School.

Heyer had worked at the law firm for the past five years, The Daily Beast reported. The firm's president, Larry Miller, told The Daily Beast that Heyer had a gift for helping people facing financial disaster. He described Heyer as compassionate and as having a "big heart for people."

In an interview with The Huffington Post, Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, described her daughter as compassionate and charitable, saying she had a very strong sense of right and wrong.

“Somehow I almost feel that this is what she was born to be, is a focal point for change. I’m proud that what she was doing was peaceful, she wasn’t there fighting with people,” Bro told The Huffington Post.

"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention," the quote on Heyer's Facebook cover photo read. She also posted on Facebook about her support for Bernie Sanders.

"Our condolences go out to the family of Heather Heyer who was killed by a terrorist as she protested Neo-Nazism and white supremacy," Sanders said on Twitter.

A 7 p.m. vigil was organized for Heyer and later postponed for safety reasons.

"Charlottesville resident Heather Heyer was struck down by a vehicle while exercising her peaceful first-amendment right to free speech," city officials said in a statement. "This senseless act of violence rips a hole in our collective hearts. While it will never make up for the loss of a member of our community, we will pursue charges against the driver of the vehicle that caused her death and are confident justice will prevail."

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe also paid tribute to Heyer.

"Her bravery should inspire all to come together," McAuliffe wrote on Twitter.

Image via GoFundMe