Local vigil held to honor victims of mass shootings
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Forward Latino held a vigil on Monday to remember the victims of the mass shootings in Dayton and El Paso, and mark the 7th anniversary of the Oak Creek Sikh Temple shooting.
Forward Latino had just 12 hours to plan, but 35 groups came together on a short notice with a clear message.
“We’ve seen tremendous tragedy happen, not by accident,” said Darryl Morin from Forward Latino.
“We now have over 35 organizations from all over the state coming together to say with one voice, no more, stop the hate,” he said.
Morin says tragedies like Oak Creek, Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton will continue to happen until something changes, like tougher gun laws and ending dangerous rhetoric.
“I think it begins at the top, we can end the divisive rhetoric that intends to divide this nation, that pits nationality against nationality,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
“Something needs to be done with this gun violence, it’s growing,” said a member of the Sikh Temple that attended the Vigil.
Members marked the 7th anniversary of the shooting by joining the rest of the community to fight gun violence.
“We’re trying to tell these people who are trying to commit these crimes that we are standing together, we are united, we’re not going to let them win,” said a member.
Organizers don’t want to have to hold vigils like this one, but if they do, they want to make an impact.
“It’s the actions we take after this that will lead to substantive change both in Washington and throughout the communities of this country,” said the mayor.
“This can’t just end here,” said Morin.