- Vigils begin in Tallahassee as community mourns victims and honors survivors of FSU's school shooting.
- Students Demand Action hosted Friday's vigil to come together in a time of deep tragedy but also to say enough is enough.
- Watch the video to hear why this group are calling on lawmakers to make changes.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A community beginning the mourning process following FSU’s school shooting Thursday.
The community is coming together in prayer and hope, to share a hug during this incredibly difficult time that’s rocked the entire Tallahassee community.
A key takeaway from the organizers of this vigil, they’re angry and they want change.
A heavy weight descending on Tallahassee as the reality sets in of the worst nightmare imaginable
A school shooting Thursday killing 2 and injuring 6.
"Immediately I started texting and calling my friends, family, my partner, to tell her I loved her," said FSU Junior, Andres Perez.
"Mixed emotions, definitely like first thing I thought, like it happened, it’s real," said William Godfrey, also a Junior at FSU.
Students who were on campus at the time of the event now coming to terms with the tragedy, showing out in large numbers at a memorial on campus, leaving flowers, candles, balloon, dressed in garnet and gold.
How do you think it’s going life on campus?
"That’s the million dollar question," said Perez. "All we can do now is feel for a moment, contact our loved ones, talk to our fellow students and classmates who were there on that day, and do something about it."
For Perez, and many Tallahassee community members, that includes coming together in prayer and solidarity and calling for change.
"It’s about the safety of our students, it’s not just about politics, these are lives at stake and that’s very important to consider," said Damaya Ollivierre, a FAMU student and Vice President of their Students Demand Action chapter.
Against the backdrop of the Capitol, this group is asking legislative leaders to reconsider their stance on a current gun law bill that would reduce the gun buying age from 21 to 18; that’s soon to face a Senate vote.
Gun control is an issue that’s spanning generations.
"It's for my children and grandchildren and future generations," said Bonnie Snyder, a Tallahassee native and Moms Demand Change member. "We just have to put an end to gun violence. I don't want anybody to have to go through what happened [Thursday]."
People here said they are working on more organizing efforts to demand change and that they’re not stopping here.
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