RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond faith-based communities gathered Thursday night to honor the lives impacted from the mass shooting that took place outside the Altria Theater Tuesday afternoon.
The shooting happened after the Huguenot High School graduation, while attendees and graduates gathered in Monroe Park. 18-year-old Huguenot grad Shawn Jackson and his step father, Rizzo Smith, were killed and five others were injured in the gunfire. -
The Chapel in Scotts Addition worked in conjunction with "Youth With a Mission" to put on a Heal Richmond Prayer event in the center of Monroe Park. Thursday evening, a couple dozen people gathered to worship and walk around the park to pray for peace.
“We believe that not only is there power in prayer but there is power in being part of something like this,” said Jason Nicholas, a pastor at The Chapel.
Across the park, songs of light and love poured into the air from Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.
Members gathered outside the church on the lawn of Monroe Park to light candles, pray and sing. The church's home is right next to the scene where the horror happened.
Prior to the vigil outside, they held a service inside to give people a place to cope from the tragedy.
Susan Hankins is a longtime member of the church and she said she continues to remain in shock that a place where they walk by every Sunday could be the sense of such senseless violence. She said praying over the situation for many allows people to come to some sort of peace with what you can’t understand.
Hankins said in times like these, it is critical to turn to community — which she is thankful to find within her church.
“How can you not get through something like this without others around you,” she said.
The Jackson-Smith family also plans to hold a vigil to honor the lives of their loved ones. The plan to release the details in the coming days.
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