Community participates in vigil in Troy for shooting victims

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 2 minutes read

Troy — Charity Litmore doesn't know the victims of Saturday's shooting at a city fountain, isn't a member of the community or church that held a Sunday vigil for the victims, but she wanted to make sense of the tragedy and create a sense of community in its wake.

“The only connection I have is I feel horrified that this happened,” said Litmore, 29 of Troy. “I just wanted a place to express my grief with others.”

The 5 p.m. prayer vigil for the nine shooting victims brought a packed crowd to Troy's Woodside Bible Church; an estimated 150 to 200 people attended. It capped a day in which the now-dead shooter was identified as Michael William Nash of Shelby Township, four of the victims were identified and other area residents and officials condemned the attack.

Caleb Holm, 22, of Rochester Hills, said he and his parents rushed to a nearby restaurant where Saturday's shooting took place because his sister worked there as a waitress. “She texted us and at that point the shooter still wasn’t caught,” Holm said. “We all immediately got in the car and went to the restaurant…,” Holm said. There, Holm and his parents sat in a booth. “We kind of talked about it, as did others in the restaurant,” he said, referring to the shooting. “But we didn’t know what to say or do,” other than wait for her sister to finish her shift and the family. could leave together.

Holm, who held a black rosary during the vigil, said he was still struggling to deal with the tragedy. He said he had attended Catholic mass earlier on Sunday.

“I just have to be honest, I'm still having a hard time feeling myself. I feel bad that I’m not suffering more,” Holm said. He added that social media exposes people to daily violence around the world. “But what can you do when faced with atrocities in your own community? »

Woodside Bible Church has many first responders among its members, several of whom dealt with Saturday's shooting, senior pastor Chris Brooks said. None of the shooting victims are members of the church, he said. “We are here to offer support and provide information on some of the remedies available,” Brooks said. Several local politicians, including Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter and members of Rochester Hills government, attended the vigil.

Rochester Hills Mayor Brian Barnett gave a summary of Saturday's events. “It didn’t even seem real,” he said of the first text messages informing him of the shooting. “The heroes of this story, as always, are the first responders. We had over 100 officers and firefighters. » He added that nearby residents quickly provided tourniquets to stop the victims' bleeding.

“The important part of my job is unique. This supports families who are still in crisis,” Barnett. He received calls from the White House, the governor’s office and almost every local elected official.”

Beyond the prayers, several pastors responded to questions submitted in writing by audience members. One of the questions was why God allowed such a senseless tragedy.

“I don’t know the answers, and I just want to give you the freedom to not have the answers as well,” said Paul Daulton, pastor of Woodside Bible. “In your pain and suffering, we have no God who turns away from these things. Ask him your questions and allow his presence.

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Lina Portman

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