Parkland School Shooting: A Community Grieves

PARKLAND, FL — Grief-stricken Floridans shed tears and exchanged, hugs and condolences on Thursday in multiple remembrances — one day after a 19-year-old expelled student is accused of systematically cutting down 17 young students and others in the deadliest school massacre since a gunman attacked an elementary school in Newtown, Conn.

There were mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters — all still reeling from the Valentine's Day attack that was targeted not only at the tree-lined campus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, but also on the innocence of children.

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Mourners released 17 balloons into a brilliant afternoon sky and lit up the night with thousands of candles. They searched for words of comfort but found none that could ease their pain. They wanted answers but only found more questions.

In the end, they found each other — thousands from Parkland, Coral Springs, Coconut Creek and other nearby towns in South Florida. Many had moved their families from more urban areas to what they hoped would be a safer life in the suburbs.

Somehow, death found them. It came to their tree-lined streets and upscale shops.

Isaac Frere of Church United, an interdenominational religious group, which organized an afternoon memorial service said the pain was overwhelming.

"There are no words to describe the pain, the hurt," he told Patch. "There are no words really to give comfort. And so our comfort comes in the lord. Our comfort comes in our faith. And so we believe even in the presence of darkness, light can still break forth."

He said it was important for local religious leaders to deliver a message of hope on Thursday.

"If there's a message, it's a message of hope that we will overcome this, that while there is evil — evil will always be overcome by good," added Frere.

Rev. Edwin Copeland of Church United told people it was time to lean on one another.

"We gather this afternoon with grieving hearts," he said. "But we can no longer be silent ... We need each other now more than ever. What happened yesterday in Parkland goes against everything that we stand against and value as a church community."

Rosalind Osgood of the Broward County School Board told the afternoon crowd that the community failed to reach accused shooter Nikolas Jacob Cruz in time to prevent Wednesday's tragedy.

"We need to reach out to these children that are not in our immediate communities," she said, adding that there were 15 suicides among Broward youth in 2017. "Our hearts are really aching."

"I thank you for these heroes," offered another speaker. "I want to thank you in particular today, lord, for the athletic director, the assistant football coach — martyrs — who sacrificially and selflessly gave themselves to protect their students."

Rev. Eddie Bevil of Parkridge Church surprised some on Thursday with prayers for the accused shooter.

"We have a merciful and loving God who cares for all people," Bevil explained. "It is right that we have been here praying for all those affected by the catastrophic events of yesterday. But it is also right that we include every single person in our prayers.

"So lord Jesus, I want to lift to you the troubled young man suspected in this terrible attack. We pray for Nikolas Cruz, for his extended family," Bevil said. "We ask that you would intervene in his disturbed mind and show him the hope that can only be found in you. We plead for your miraculous work to be evident in him and in spite of him."

Joshua Halulko, the principal of Parkridge Christian Academy, brought his young children to the memorial services, including 10-year-old, J.J., who has autism.

"We're a part of this community and so we grieve and mourn with those who grieve and mourn," said Halulko.

Senior Milan Hann said she knew three people who died and wanted to attend the afternoon memorial session.

"Nothing can really help any of us," she said. "Nothing can help us get through this. We just have to hug each other and just know things will get better as it goes."

Sharon Flaherty was invited by the local pastor to bring Jacob, a comfort dog to the memorial service. The golden retriever immediately drew a crowd of children and adults alike.

"Nobody can pet a dog without smiling," observed Flaherty of the Chicago area. "It's that simple."

More dogs were on the way, she added.

Photo gallery by Paul Scicchitano.