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Vigil Held For Quadruple Homicide Victims

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A vigil was held Saturday evening on the same block where four people – including two children -- were killed on Thursday in Sacramento.

"A senseless tragedy." That's how the chaplain, who spoke at the vigil, described this week's quadruple homicide on the 1100 block of 35th Avenue.

Hand-in-hand, neighbors and community members, including Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and other city and county representatives, were united in mourning.

"My 7-year-old daughter only knows that a family was hurt here in her neighborhood. Yet her first question was, 'Were there children?'" said Brian Ebbert, as he addressed the crowd.

Ebbert is the president of the South Land Park Neighborhood Association, which organized the event. He says his neighborhood need this event so neighborhoods could begin to heal.

"It's very significant when you have children you see going up and down your street each day, and then they are not there anymore," said an emotional Ebbert.

"This is a horrific thing that has happened. One of the important things is that we show that some good can come out of it.  And that's unity as a community," said Patrick Kennedy, Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy.

Carmen Ramirez has lived in the neighborhood for five years. Her sons used to play basketball with the 11-year-old boy, one of the victims. "To have to see this and tell your kids that that those kids – something happened to those kids, and they are not coming back, it's really sad," said Ramirez with tears in her eyes.

"In moments of horror and grief, you are not alone," said Mayor Darrell Steinberg, as he tried to comfort the crowd during his remarks.

Jolise Alvaredo, 13, attended the vigil with her mother. She was good friends with the 13-year-old victim. They went to the same school and played on the same soccer team. "I cared for her. And I miss her," said Alvaredo.

For Rashad Yates, it was a different set of emotions. He was the 13-year-old victim's soccer coach. He last saw her and her family at their game on Monday.

"It's strange for it to be so close to home. Everything seemed normal. There is just never any indication that there is something going on behind the scenes," said Coach Yates.

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