Kalamazoo mourners call for conversation about gun violence

[umbertino]

Residents of Michigan city targeted by Jason Dalton call for action on mass shootings at ceremony honouring the six victims

 

 

Ryan Felton in Kalamazoo, Michigan

 

Tuesday 23 February 2016 07.35 GMT

 

 

 

Inside a packed church, hundreds of residents from the Kalamazoo area of Michigan carried white candles and gathered to mourn the loss of six people who were killed on Saturday in a seemingly random act of murder.

 

Just hours after Jason Dalton, 45, was arraigned on Monday for multiple counts of murder and assault in connection with the shooting spree, clergy members from several churches led the congregation in song and prayer.

 

Residents described it as an effort to begin a healing process in response to the violent outburst over the weekend by Dalton, a situation unlike anything the community has ever imagined happening in their backyard.

 

“It’s something that we’ve seen across the United States,” said Steven Chamberlin, a comparative religion professor at nearby Western Michigan University. “I think we need to start addressing ... why this is happening with alarming regularity.”

 

In wake of the shooting, the nation needs to have “all sorts of conversations” about gun violence that “we should’ve been having all along,” he added.

 

“This is an awful, awful thing that happened,” Chamberlin, 53, said at the vigil. “And I’m reeling from it.”

 

Earlier on Monday, Dalton sat emotionless throughout a brief video arraignment held at the courthouse next door to the church, as a district court judge rattled off the list of charges filed against him: sixteen felony charges, including six counts of murder and two for assault with intent to commit murder. Dalton declined to address the court when prompted by the judge, but his family, in a statement issued Monday evening, said “this type of violence has no place in our society.”

 

Across the community, several vigils had been held to remember the six fatal victims, all targeted at random, authorities said, without any clear motivation.

 

At the vigil inside the First Congregational Church on Monday, the Rev Sara Dorrien-Christians told the attendees: “Our primary objective here is to surround those closest to these people with love.”

 

The victims ranged in age from 17 to 74 years old; a 14-year-old girl was shot at a Cracker Barrel restaurant and she remained in critical condition on Monday following surgery. Four women were fatally shot at the restaurant on Saturday evening after attending a show in Kalamazoo. Minutes later, at a nearby Kia auto dealer, a father and son were shot and killed while looking at a vehicle.

 

Ann Sweaney, 66, moved to Kalamazoo four years ago and said she didn’t learn of the rampage until waking up on Sunday morning. She said it was important to attend the vigil to “let the families know that we care.”

 

“We’re concerned about violence … and we need to find solutions,” she said.

 

Jeff Chamberlain, Kalamazoo deputy city manager, said the “horrible” aspect of the shootings was the apparent randomness of it all.

 

“There seems to be no connection between the shooter and the victims, the victims to one another,” he said. “It’s just completely random.”

 

Chamberlain, 48, has worked for the city of Kalamazoo over two decades, and said it’s a “solid, hard working community” that’s comprised of “good people.”

 

“You don’t know how to prepare, you don’t know how to respond, except with love for one another,” he said. “That’s what the community is doing tonight.”

 

“These mass shootings, unfortunately, are happening all over the country, and you just never know where the next one is going to be,” he continued.

 

“Unfortunately, the Kalamazoo area was the next one on the list. We pray that we’re the last, but we’re probably not.”

 

 

Members of the First Congregational Church attend a candlelight vigil in remembrance of victims of the mass shooting.

Photograph: Bryan M. Bennett/AP

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/23/kalamazoo-shooting-mourners-at-vigil-call-for-conversation-about-gun-violence

[eastcreek]

Residents of Michigan city targeted by Jason Dalton call for action on mass shootings at ceremony honouring the six victims

Ryan Felton in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Tuesday 23 February 2016 07.35 GMT

Inside a packed church, hundreds of residents from the Kalamazoo area of Michigan carried white candles and gathered to mourn the loss of six people who were killed on Saturday in a seemingly random act of murder.

Just hours after Jason Dalton, 45, was arraigned on Monday for multiple counts of murder and assault in connection with the shooting spree, clergy members from several churches led the congregation in song and prayer.

Residents described it as an effort to begin a healing process in response to the violent outburst over the weekend by Dalton, a situation unlike anything the community has ever imagined happening in their backyard.

“It’s something that we’ve seen across the United States,” said Steven Chamberlin, a comparative religion professor at nearby Western Michigan University. “I think we need to start addressing ... why this is happening with alarming regularity.”

In wake of the shooting, the nation needs to have “all sorts of conversations” about gun violence that “we should’ve been having all along,” he added.

“This is an awful, awful thing that happened,” Chamberlin, 53, said at the vigil. “And I’m reeling from it.”

Earlier on Monday, Dalton sat emotionless throughout a brief video arraignment held at the courthouse next door to the church, as a district court judge rattled off the list of charges filed against him: sixteen felony charges, including six counts of murder and two for assault with intent to commit murder. Dalton declined to address the court when prompted by the judge, but his family, in a statement issued Monday evening, said “this type of violence has no place in our society.”

Across the community, several vigils had been held to remember the six fatal victims, all targeted at random, authorities said, without any clear motivation.

At the vigil inside the First Congregational Church on Monday, the Rev Sara Dorrien-Christians told the attendees: “Our primary objective here is to surround those closest to these people with love.”

The victims ranged in age from 17 to 74 years old; a 14-year-old girl was shot at a Cracker Barrel restaurant and she remained in critical condition on Monday following surgery. Four women were fatally shot at the restaurant on Saturday evening after attending a show in Kalamazoo. Minutes later, at a nearby Kia auto dealer, a father and son were shot and killed while looking at a vehicle.

Ann Sweaney, 66, moved to Kalamazoo four years ago and said she didn’t learn of the rampage until waking up on Sunday morning. She said it was important to attend the vigil to “let the families know that we care.”

“We’re concerned about violence … and we need to find solutions,” she said.

Jeff Chamberlain, Kalamazoo deputy city manager, said the “horrible” aspect of the shootings was the apparent randomness of it all.

“There seems to be no connection between the shooter and the victims, the victims to one another,” he said. “It’s just completely random.”

Chamberlain, 48, has worked for the city of Kalamazoo over two decades, and said it’s a “solid, hard working community” that’s comprised of “good people.”

“You don’t know how to prepare, you don’t know how to respond, except with love for one another,” he said. “That’s what the community is doing tonight.”

“These mass shootings, unfortunately, are happening all over the country, and you just never know where the next one is going to be,” he continued.

“Unfortunately, the Kalamazoo area was the next one on the list. We pray that we’re the last, but we’re probably not.”

Members of the First Congregational Church attend a candlelight vigil in remembrance of victims of the mass shooting.

Photograph: Bryan M. Bennett/AP

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/23/kalamazoo-shooting-mourners-at-vigil-call-for-conversation-about-gun-violence

I don't understand the term, "gun violence." I've had both a shotgun and a handgun for years, and neither has ever committed an act of violence, unless you call the noise violent. I guess I've just taught better manners to my two guns.

I should add that I mourn the families' loss, and I pray God's Mercy and Grace on all involved.

Edited February 23, 2016 by eastcreek

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///  

No such thing as "GUN  VIOLENCE"....

 

there are criminals and insane people who use guns to express themselves because

they are cowards and / or crazy.

 

And if you take all the guns away...

these jerks will find more,

or some other means by which to commit their evil...  

 

Give up your moronic reasoning because we're NOT giving up our guns.

 

PROUD GUN OWNERS SAY:  WE HERE,  NO FEAR,  GET USED TO IT  ! 

[umbertino]

A plus from me, eastcreek....