Hundreds Attend Rancho Cordova Vigil For Connecticut School Shooting Victims

RANCHO CORDOVA (CBS13) - Hundreds, including parents and children, in Rancho Cordova came to pray and mourn for the lives lost thousands of miles away.

The Army of Angels was already holding a summit to talk about eliminating crimes against children. So when the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. happened Friday morning, they decided to also have a vigil.

More than 200 people gathered in Rancho Cordova to remember the 26 lives lost. Some came from as far away as Arizona.

"I think the most overwhelming feeling came when I read the reports, and I really just wanted to go to school, or call the school to see if David was ok," parent Melanie Hall said.

When Hall picked up her 7-year-old son David from school Friday, it was different.

"This time I parked, because I wanted to be able to just give him a hug when I saw him," the mother said.

"We're not just going to sit down and take this," said Kathleen Moore, Army of Angels. "We have to come together and protect our most innocent vulnerable members."

The horrifying and tragic images from Friday morning's shooting led to an impromptu Army of Angels vigil.

"We want to remember these precious lost perished souls, and make sure they didn't die in vain," said Moore.

Many are asking why? Why would someone shoot defenseless young children? High school teacher K.C. Wachs says it's important we figure it out.

"One of the things we have to look at is compassion, and why people do what they do," said Wachs. "Because if we don't start to figure out why they are doing what they are doing, then we are not going to get to the heart of what's going, and why this is happening."

As for Hall and her son David, she chose to talk to him about it. She wanted him to know what's going on in the world, and also wanted to reiterate to him that he's safe at school.