Locals packed into Thursday night’s vigil at San Manuel Stadium to support the victims of a mass shooting.
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Several thousands packed into San Bernardino, California’s San Manuel Stadium Thursday night for an interfaith service honoring the victims of Wednesday’s mass shooting at the Inland Regional Center. Most of those in attendance lived in the San Bernardino area, Newsweek reports, and came to express their grief but also their unity in the face of the tragedy.
“We may be hard pressed on every side,” Joshua Beckley, a local pastor, told the crowd. “But we are not crushed.”
Some of those in attendance had personal connections to the victims, most of whom worked for the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health and were celebrating at a holiday party when the violence began. Christine Perry told the local Press-Enterprise that her friend Mike Wetzel had been shot and killed Wednesday.
“It was just shocking, pure shock," Perry said at the candlelight vigil. "I'm ok,” she continued. “I'm a tough one.”
Authorities say Syed Farook, 28, and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, 27, killed 14 and wounded 21. Officials revealed Friday that Malik endorsed the Islamic State on Facebook around the time the shooting began. The FBI said it was investigating the attack as a case of terrorism.
A number of members of the local Muslim community also attended Thursday night’s gathering to show solidarity with the San Bernardino community. “We are here to show support and for there to be a Muslim presence and to show that the violence is not what our religion is about,” 16-year-old Samar Natour told Newsweek.
Image via Twitter
(Cover image via Twitter)
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