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Duke Community Gathers to Honor Victims of Orlando Shooting

Orlando vigil

Nick Antonicci, interim director of Duke's Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, speaks at the vigil Monday.

Around 100 people gathered with candles and prayers outside of Duke Chapel Monday night to honor the victims of the shootings at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Sunday morning.

Speakers from Duke Chapel, the Duke Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, the Center for Muslim Life and other university units told the audience “to share the comfort of community” at a difficult time.

The chapel steps were covered with flowers and 99 candles representing the 49 killed and 50 wounded at the Pulse nightclub, an establishment frequented by members of the LGBTQ community in Orlando.

Orlando vigil

The Rev. Luke Powery, dean of Duke Chapel, spoke for those gathered whose “hearts are broken, their voices cracked, thinking of the victims, many of whom are from the LGBTQ community.” He called on the Duke community to hold the victims and their loved ones in their prayers but also in their actions.  He asked that everyone stand and show support for the Duke LGBTQ community.

Nick Antonicci of the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity said he struggled with the shooting for many reasons. “I struggle knowing that this was a nightclub meant to be a safe place for LGBTQ people and for Latinx people. I struggle knowing that the spaces where we should feel most free, are still dangerous. I struggle knowing that folks who may benefit from these spaces may no longer seek them out,” he said. (See his full comments here.)

The university flags, along with the state and US flags, have been lowered to half-mast through Thursday to pay tribute to the victims of the shooting.

Orlando shooting