By Emily Drooby
New Yorkers are joining the rest of the country in grieving the lives cut short and those forever changed by the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.
Shoes, one for each victim, became a powerful image in memorial.
“The pathway of that bullet may physically stop, but the emotional trauma rips through the anatomy of our community, and the anatomy of our country it continues to travel and that is why we are here today,” said Brooklyn Boro President Eric Adams, who came to the vigil at Grand Army Plaza as the country is trying to heal.
Now, stories of survival are emerging.
“And he shot eight more bullets. And I counted them because I said, ‘one of those is going to be mine,’” said Maribel Latin, who was wounded in the El Paso shooting.
In Dayton, businesses reopened on Monday, August 6, including the bar targeted by the gunman. A gun show scheduled in the city for this weekend has been canceled.
In El Paso, a funeral home has announced that they will provide free funeral services for the families of those that lost a loved one.
The White House also announced that President Trump will be visiting both Ohio and Texas on August 7.
“What I can tell you is the president has wanted to go there since he learned of these tragedies and he, and he’s able to move around this country as Secret Service says that it’s safe and ready,” said Kellyanne Conway, Counselor to the President.
The president plans to visit with victims’ families, survivors and law enforcement. He will also review recovery efforts.
This comes as more details emerge regarding El Paso shooting suspect, Patrick Crusius. Officials have stated that the 21-year-old alleged shooter has shown no regrets or remorse for his crimes, and described him as being emotionally cold.
According to El Paso police, Crusius picked the shopping plaza at random. He is being charged with capital murder, and the shooting is being called an act of terrorism.
The suspect in the Dayton shooting, Connor Betts, was fatally shot by police at the scene.
As the investigations continue, people are banning together in Brooklyn and around the United States, providing a light for each other in the dark.