More than 1,000 attend Orlando shooting vigil in Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — Since the mass shooting in Orlando last weekend, communities across the country have been holding vigils for the victims.

Bloomington residents gathered to show their support Tuesday evening, and organizers were impressed with the turnout.

They estimated more than 1,000 people came together at the steps of city hall.

A diverse crowd from religious backgrounds, to race, to sexual orientation all came together for one cause.

“I might not be able to do a lot, but if I can show my support I will,” IU Student Bailey Lewis said.

“Seeing so many people come out and support — it’s really inspiring,” IU Student Bryant Hayes said.

Community members at the vigil said many times that the Orlando shooting could have been them or their friends.

“I’d actually just got home from being in Indy for Pride, so it was really kind of terrifying that that could have happened anywhere, could have happened to anyone,” Hayes said.

“To think that this could have been anywhere just hits really close to home; that this could happen at any moment of any time and it is just a tragedy that it had to happen at all,” Lewis said.

Lewis was one of the first people to arrive at the vigil.

“I think it’s just really important that we come together in these crucial moments to show our brothers and sisters in Orlando that we are here for them and that we do feel for them and that we’re going to do anything in our power to help them get through this,” he said.

Lewis and others listened to speakers from the Bloomington community pledge their support for Orlando and condemn the act of violence and hate.

“After these types of tragedy we need to show that we’re still standing strong; we still have a lot of pride,” Hayes said.

For those in attendance, the night wasn’t just about candles and T-shirts — it was about sending a message that they are not afraid.

“If we stop gathering, if we stop doing things like Pride or these vigils it shows that someone else won, homophobia has won, and it just sends a really bad message if we can’t be here for each other in this time,” Hayes said.

Bloomington Pride created a new effort this weekend called Stand with Pride.

It’s for businesses to show they’re safe spaces for the LGBT community. Twenty-five businesses have already signed up.