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Community, faith leaders hold vigil after Wednesday's fatal officer-involved shooting

Posted at 5:50 PM, May 28, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-28 17:50:42-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Members of the faith community are coming together to pray the for grief-stricken families after Wednesday's shooting.

Family members of the victims are expected to speak Thursday evening at Kingdom Life Tabernacle Family Church.

The community spent the day honoring the woman who died.

Church pastors from across the Big Bend are got together during the Citizen Advisory Committee meeting Thursday morning in solidarity with the victims.

They also discussed the relationship police have had with the community.

Board chairman and Pastor Rudy Ferguson asked people to trust in the church and not lose hope despite what's happened.

"We're part of it," said Ferguson. "We live in it. We hear the cries, the concerns, we know how people feel and are broken, because we're broken. We're brokenhearted. We feel this situation can also be avoided."

"We're getting through COVID, we're going to get through this," said Pastor Judy Mandrell of Life Changers Church of God in Christ. "I ask you to trust us, just pray for us as we serve you because we care, we're here for you."

"I'm here to call my white pastors and friends in this city to become more aware and to be honest about the problems that we have with racism, bigotry, fear and ignorance," said Pastor Richard Ledford of Restoration Place Tallahassee.

Ferguson also made note that they serve the people in community, not the Tallahassee Police Department.

Thursday's vigil starts at 6:30 p.m. People are asked to come join them in prayer and masks are recommended.