Vigil held in Bowling Green for victims of Orlando shooting

Photo by John Reecer/WKU Herald. 

John Reecer

A vigil was held on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Bowling Green River Walk for the victims of the mass shooting at the PULSE Night Club in Orlando, Fla.

The event was put on by the SOKY Right Girls and the Bowling Green Fairness Campaign. A handful of speakers gave speeches about the Orlando shooting and those affected to a crowd less than 100 people.

After the speeches, the crowd joined together in a candlelight vigil and a moment of song for the fallen victims of the largest mass shooting in the history of the United States of America.

“You can’t be there for the funerals in Orlando and as much as we all wish we can just drive to Florida in a heartbeat, we can’t” Tori Green of the SOKY Right Girls said. “It’s just our way of showing support.”

Another one of the event’s organizers, Janessa Systo, said that this vigil shows people in grief that they are not alone and that “there is love out there for them.”

Several people at the event shared their opinions about the shooting in Orlando, as others stood alone in silence.

“When I first saw the news on Sunday morning, I was immediately shocked,” said Glasgow senior Matthew Bunnell. “I think it’s terrible that acts of violence or terrorism have to happen here on American soil.”

“I hope that something can be done by local community leaders or politicians throughout the country in order to insure that families no longer have to grieve like this because of such a tragedy,” Bunnell said.

The vigil was originally scheduled for last Wednesday night, but it was then rescheduled for Saturday evening due to bad weather.

“I think it’s great that the city of Bowling Green can come together to support the grieving families and friends that are suffering right now in Orlando,” Bunnell said. “I think it’s good for our communities across the country to have vigils like this in order to show their support, regardless of what you believe.”