Local residents hold vigil for shooting victims

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Lafayette and West Lafayette residents came together for a candle light vigil Sunday evening to remember those who lost their lives in Newtown, Conn.

Twenty-six candles were lit for the 20 children and six adults killed inside Sandy Hook Elementary School. The vigil took place around 5:30 Sunday evening on the Pedestrian Bridge in Lafayette.  

Event organizer and mother Sandra Warthan said even though the victims' families live nearly 900 miles away, she still thinks it's important for everyone to show their support.

"I can't imagine how the parents feel when their first graders died," said Warthan. "I'm a mother of a first grader, so it hits me at home because my son's 6 and most of them that died were 6."

"I came here to pray for all the families that lost their children and all their siblings that have died in this school," said Lafayette resident Alexandra Swingle.

"You know, it's really sad that the children lost their lives and we have school-age children," said Lafayette resident Heather Foreman. "It's kind of scary and I would want people to have respect and pray and have things like this if it was my children involved."

Warthan said she was also collecting money to send to the families of victims to help offset funeral costs.