Vigil Held for Virginia Beach Shooting Victims
June 06, 2019
Old Dominion University's Student Government Association sponsored a vigil Wednesday night at the Webb University Center to honor 12 victims - five of whom were former ODU students - of Friday's shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center.
About 150 people heard reflections about the tragedy and expressions of support and encouragement from Old Dominion President John R. Broderick; Ellen Neufeldt, vice president for student engagement and enrollment services; Dymon Bailey, director of legislative affairs and diversity for the SGA; Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer; Patrick Gallagher, deputy chief of the Virginia Beach Police Department; Drew Lumpkin, regional director for U.S. Sen. Mark Warner; and Kevin Tremper, pastor of Crossroads Church in Norfolk.
Neufeldt read the names of the victims, who included four alumni - Tara Welch Gallagher, Alexander Mikhail Gusev, Richard H. Nettleton and Christopher Kelly Rapp - and one former student, Ryan Keith Cox.
"Virginia Beach ... that's our neighbor," Broderick said. "For many at ODU, that's their home."
He noted that nearly 1,000 employees of Old Dominion and more than 24,000 alumni live in Virginia Beach. In addition, about 100 faculty and staff members work at Old Dominion's Virginia Beach Center in the Princess Anne corridor.
Gallagher expressed the police department's appreciation for the support from the ODU community.
"We feel your love, and in return I want to say we love you, too," he said.
