Salisbury holds vigil for victims of gun violence

SALISBURY — Despite frigid temperatures, about 40 people gathered Dec. 14 on the snowy lawn outside the White Hart Inn for an evening vigil honoring the 20 children and six educators killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, as well as victims of gun violence nationwide and around the world.

Organizers Lee and Sophia deBoer said that while this year marked the 13th anniversary of the 2012 massacre, it was the 14th vigil the community has held.

Sophia deBoer said the annual gathering is driven by both remembrance and personal experience.

In May 2009, while her daughter was finishing her senior year at Wesleyan University, a fatal shooting occurred on campus. The event, she said, reinforced her belief in the importance of public remembrance and collective reflection.

As the vigil began at 5 p.m., Sophia deBoer invited attendees to widen their focus beyond a single tragedy.

“As we take time to remember those at Sandy Hook, take time to remember all the mass shootings,” she said.

State Rep. Maria Horn spoke about the enduring impact of Sandy Hook, noting that recent mass shootings — including incidents at Brown University and in Bondi Beach, Australia — demonstrate the continued global scope of gun violence.

“The freshmen at Brown were the same age the Sandy Hook children would be now,” Horn said.

Horn noted that she has seen a shift in Hartford toward gun-safety measures, which she described as “a sign of hope.”

John Nelson of the Salisbury Congregational Church read from Amanda Gorman’s poem “Hymn for the Hurting,” offering words that spoke to collective grief.

Musicians Ed Thorney and Greg Reiss followed with acoustic performances of two songs from the 1960s — “Get Together,” by Chet Powers, and Stephen Stills’ “For What It’s Worth.”

The selections, they noted, continue to resonate in the context of modern social unrest and violence.

The names of the Sandy Hook children and educators were then read aloud. After each name, a bell tolled.

Louise Brown shared the story of her son, Elliot, 41, who lived in New Orleans and was shot and killed when he answered a knock at his door. Brown recalled words spoken by her daughter-in-law at his funeral: “I was lucky to have him. Most important in life is love. Nothing else matters.”

The vigil concluded with John Carter, retired priest at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury, leading attendees in a rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

As the gathering ended, church bells rang 26 times — once for each child and educator killed at Sandy Hook — closing the vigil in solemn remembrance.