Salt Lake City Vigil Honors Victims of Pittsburgh Shooting

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Two nights after a mass shooting left 11 dead and four officers among the six injured at a Pittsburgh synagogue, dozens of Utahns gathered and stood in solidarity with the victims.

Chabad Lubavitch, of Utah, 1760 South 1100 East, hosted a candlelight vigil and moment of prayer Monday evening.

“On Saturday morning, evil rose up in Pittsburgh and it took — it took lives, it took happiness, it took joy, it took serenity, it took comfort,” said Rabbi Avremi Zippel.

Women and men were among the victims, the oldest of which was 97.

“Imagine if the perpetrator could have chosen a different target,” Rabbi Benny Zippel said. “It could have been us. It could have been Salt Lake City, God forbid.”

The event drew several community leaders and politicians, including Gov. Gary Herbert.

“We gather here this evening to shine our light, figuratively speaking — not only to mourn the loss of so many wonderful people in the Pittsburgh area, but to help dispel the darkness,” Herbert said.

People of various political and religious backgrounds attended the vigil.

“What’s more important is we’re in this together and to show that support,” Christopher Leibow said. “Our Buddhist fellowship was asked to join, and I can’t think of any other place that I’d want to be.”

Suzanne Attix said she was “devastated” and “shocked” by what happened in Pittsburgh.

“I just felt that I needed to be with other people that felt the same,” Attix said. “We’ve had far too many tragedies in this country in recent years and it’s hard to know what to do, but this was something at least where we could take a quiet moment and honor the people that fell in this massacre.”

A similar event was held Monday at Chabad Park City, with another vigil scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Congregation Kol Ami in Salt Lake City.

Rabbi Benny Zippel said he found the showing from the community to be meaningful.

“The only way to overcome darkness and hatred is by adding light,” he said.