DEARBORN HEIGHTS – During a candle light vigil Monday more than 300 people expressed solidarity with victims of the Connecticut school shooting that left 20 children and six staff members from Sandy Hook Elementary School dead last week.  

The vigil was organized by the Dearborn Heights Community Organization (DHOC) in the span of only two days. “It’s just such a terrible act that took place. But I can assure all of you that coming out here today says so much about you as an individual and this community, and the deep concern we share for our youth,” Dearborn Heights Mayor Dan Paletko said.

A prayer was recited, and a moment of silence was also given on behalf of the victims. Children held up signs with the names of those who lost their lives, and a banner reading, “Our hearts are broken too…We stand with Newton, CT” was on display. 

“We unite our hearts together with sympathy and grief for those who lost their loved ones. It’s hard to understand, and even contemplate what happened,” Pastor Barry Bedwell of the Faith Baptist Church said. 

For parents here the tragedy struck even closer to home, after Kinloch Elementary was put on lockdown only days before the shooting.  

Several hundred community members in Dearborn Heights participated in a candle light vigil on Monday. Most of them were Arab Americans; the vigil was organized by the Dearborn Heights Community Organization (DHOC). PHOTOS: Natasha Dado/TAAN

“A couple of days ago we were on lockdown, so it really struck us, “ Hassan Bazzi DHCO president who has children attending school in the district said. 

Many parents say the idea that schools are safe places for their children now ceases to exist after the tragedy.   “It will never be the same. You always think when you drop your kids at school this is the safest thing, but unfortunately there’s no safe place. When they leave the house I’m sacred and worried all the time,” Bazzi said. 

The Kinloch lockdown occured when two armed robbers were close to the school. 

Samer Jaafer, deputy director of Homeland Security for Wayne County said when children were released from the lockdown one of the suspects was in police custody and another was still at large, but has since been identified. 

Ed Garcia, a police officer and member of the Crestwood School District’s board of education urged parents to be cautious of their children’s safety, and welfare. “Keep them close and remember the families of the victims,” he said. 

Dearborn Heights resident Mohammed Janny, another parent who has children in the district said the shooting has left him lost for words.  

“This was a horrific, horrific incident, I can’t express my emotions. This is the world we’re living in today. It’s sad, but it’s true,” Janny said. 

 He says parents shouldn’t let the Connecticut shooting get them worried about sending their children to school. 

“I’m not going to let a few crazy people in the world ruin the plans I have for my kids. Next thing I know we’re going to lockdown all our kids and home school them. It’s not possible or logical. It takes away from their ability to interact with society,” he said.

Zaineb Hussein, a member of the DHOC said Victoria Soto a teacher from Sandy Hook Elementary School who was killed is her hero. Soto has emerged as a heroic figure in the public’s eye after telling the gunman her students were in the gym, while hiding them in a closet.  

“Victoria is a hero of mine because she took her own life in place of those children. These are individuals that we have to emulate, individuals that we have to remember. I remember those individuals and follow in their footsteps. I hope that Connecticut sees that we love them and we support them and our hearts are breaking with them too,” Hussein said.