Almost two weeks after a deadly mass shooting in Plano, community members organized a vigil to remember the nine victims’ lives. The event, held at the McCall Plaza in downtown Plano and hosted by the Junior League of Collin County, featured a candlelight ceremony and short speeches from community members.

Marketing senior Ruikun Bai said he attended the event to stand in solidarity with his community.

“I grew up in Plano. This is my home, this is my city,” he said. “These are all neighbors. As a resident of Plano, I think it’s important to show respect and just come out here and show support for the families and friends of victims.”

The shooting occurred after an altercation between former UTD student Spencer Hight and his estranged wife, alumna Meredith Hight. The couple had filed for divorce in July following marriage troubles. Part of the vigil was dedicated to raising awareness about family violence. Organizations such as the Collin County Council on Family Violence distributed flyers detailing resources for domestic abuse victims.

“We’ve never seen an incident like this. It’s just very heartbreaking…especially since some of the victims went to the same school as I did,” Bai said.