Last night, April 18, there was a candlelight vigil held in memory of Virginia Tech and the shooting that occurred Monday morning. Held in front of the Union, some two hundred students and community members held candles and signs in memory of the victims.

Some stepped up and spoke their peace for those who were killed. Others stood in a crowd with their heads bowed, holding a single lit candle.

For some that stood in the crowd, it was time for respect and sympathy. Robert Beck, sophomore in Communications, said that it’s impossible to understand what the families and college must be going through.

“I’m here to simply pay my respects,” he said. “This has to be impossible to deal with.”

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Candlelight Vigil

Click to see images from a remembrance vigil on the Quad Wednesday night.

Standing some distance away stood Felicia Matthews, also a sophomore in Communications. She came to honor the lives of the ones who were lost Monday morning.

“This tragedy is really touching,” she said. “We have to support the families in a time like this. What a horrible thing to drive to their child’s school for,” she said.

Not everyone stood in peaceful silence, however. Others began singing songs, meeting their neighbors and writing on the Prayer Wall, which was for anyone to write their respects to the Virginia Tech community. Some decided to go up to the microphone and speak.

Reverend and President of Religious Worker Association Rob Kirby said he wants people to become better members of their community in a time like this.

“Hopefully this may have a great influence on an individual to try and reach out,” he said. “So many people wanted to have this vigil so I felt it would be great to bring us all together and let the students participate,” he said.