UCSD students hold candlelight vigil for UCSB murder victims

The candlelight vigil started as a grassroots effort by one student on Saturday night at UC San Diego via a social media site. Monday night, hundreds and hundreds came out, all with one message: we are one University of California. The power of social media – Facebook and a tragedy brought hundreds of UCSD students together Monday night.

“It really is humbling to know that people, at their very essence, are able to come together in solidarity as humans,” said event co-organizer Julia Brown.

Brown came up with the idea of a candlelight vigil to honor the memory of 6 UCSB students killed by a madman last Friday who was upset about his lack of female attention. Three roommates stabbed to death, another male student shot, two girls gunned down in front of a sorority house.

“It’s really heartbreaking to hear that this happened at UC Santa Barbara, or a sorority at another UC campus, we want to support other sisters,” said UCSD student Raquel Zeilberman.

“Because we are only 19, 20, 21, 22. We’re just getting our lives started right now,” said student Nicole Kohanof, “and to think that people are already disappearing, not coming back… it’s really sad.”

Lighting candles to show sorrow, yet coming together to learn lessons.

“We need to create spaces of discussion, we must create dialogue,” said event co-organizer Mina Nilchian. “We must have those uncomfortable conversations that attempt to answer the question ‘why?'”

Walking unified on this Memorial Day holiday, to affect a change in culture.

“I don’t want to use their deaths, but I want to let it be an inspiration to people,” said UCSD student Justin Huynh. “I want it to be a reminder to people that this kind of thing can never happen again.”

Tuesday at UCSB, classes are canceled as they have dubbed it a day of mourning and reflection in Isla Vista.