A prayer service was held in Hesston yesterday in memory of those who lost their lives in a shooting rampage Thursday that left three dead and 14 injured. KMUW's Carla Eckels reports the gunman's family was not left out.
The prayer service was organized to mark the beginning of the journey toward healing and restoration. Sacred music and several meditations were shared. Candles were lit in memory of the victims, as well as for the family of the gunman, who the pastors say they're holding in their hearts as well.
Hesston resident David Norris wore a white ribbon on his jacket. He says the shootings were very traumatic and it will take a while for the town to heal.
"The community is strong and we'll come back stronger," Norris said. "You know, in the early 90s the town just about was destroyed by a tornado, and it came back stronger. And we'll do that here, too."
The mostly Mennonite town plans to stick together moving forward.
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Carla Eckels is assistant news director and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.
To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.