ALLEN, Texas – People gathered Sunday at an Allen church for a prayer vigil to remember and pray for the victims and families affected by the shooting at an outlet mall.
The crowd gathered at Cottonwood Creek Church at 5 p.m. for the vigil. Many elected officials were in attendance, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and Attorney General Ken Paxton, among others.
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“We are in shock and are all grieving together,” said Allen Mayor Ken Fulk. “We will not let the actions of one individual impact our resolve, we will band together as a community and will emerge even stronger.”
Those in attendance sang worship songs and prayed for those affected by the act of violence.
“Our community has just been hit and it hurts, it hurts,” said Mayor-Elect for the City of Allen Baine Brooks.
Brooks reiterated the need for prayer for the community and said his thoughts were immediately with the victims once he heard what had happened.
“I thought about the clerks and the workers out at the mall and just how they felt, deep in their hearts, they didn’t know what to do. I don’t think we’ve ever been prepared for this,” Brooks said.
Brooks thanked the people who have pitched in to help the city.
“We’re a very small town that takes care of each other and I appreciate all the people that have come in and tried to help us out, but we’re going to need prayer, we’re going to need prayer,” he said.
Senior Pastor of Cottonwood Creek John Mark Caton shared a message with those in attendance.
“Let’s be a people that comforts those who mourn, that prays for those who grieve,” he said.
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