Kalamazoo mass shooting victims honored on 1-year anniversary

By Madison Bennett | MLive

KALAMAZOO, MI - One year has passed since an Uber driver went on a rampage, shooting eight people and killing six between picking up fares.

But in the year following, the Kalamazoo community did not falter and instead came together to help one another heal, rallying around the victims and survivors.  

As over 100 people came to Wings Event Center for a candlelight vigil on the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting, the people of Kalamazoo showed their continued strength.

The vigil was led by Rev. Paul Fazio, pastor of North Park Reformed Church, and honored those affected by the actions of one man on the night of Feb. 20, 2016.

"I truly believe that we as a community are an example to the nation and very possibly an example to the world in which we live," Fazio said to the crowd Monday evening.

"We are an example of not letting tragedy define us. Kalamazoo is bigger than that. We are an example of not letting darkness win, Kalamazoo is brighter than that."

State Sen. Margaret O'Brien, Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller and Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell were among the first speakers.

Hopewell said the event should be about more than loss, but also celebration. "We need to celebrate (the victims). We need to be excited that they were in our lives," he said.

To the families, Hopewell said: "We will stand with you today, tomorrow and everyday as you heal, as you journey beyond this crisis, this event, this very sad time," Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell said.

The six victims of the shooting included two groups of people; a father and son shopping for a car and a group of women who were enjoying a night out with dinner and a show.

Tyler and Rich Smith of Mattawan were killed in the parking lot of Seelye Kia on Stadium Drive in Kalamazoo.

Mary Lou Nye, 62, of Baroda; Mary Jo Nye, 60, Dorothy "Judy" Brown, 74, and Barbara Hawthorne, 68, all of Battle Creek, were killed as they sat in two different vehicles in the parking lot of the Cracker Barrel restaurant on South Ninth Street in Texas Township. The group of women had seen a show at Miller Auditorium earlier that evening.

Two people left severely injured in the shooting continue to recover. Tiana Carruthers, 25, was shot in the parking lot of Meadows Townhomes, and Abbie Kopf, 14, was shot in one of the vehicles at Cracker Barrel.

"There's nothing that can prepare you for the phone call that we received on the morning of February 21st, 2016," Jeff Reynolds, son of Brown said on stage Monday evening as his brother Rob stood by his side.

Laurie Smith, the wife and mother of victims Rich and Tyler Smith, thanked all of those who have supported them through the past year.

"I count on you being there, that's what gets me up every day," she said.

"The last year has been incredibly difficult and without my family I don't know what I would do," Smith said.

Alaina Gruizenga, a family friend of the Smith's who was with Laurie Smith the night of the shooting, who was among those to attend Monday night.

"It's definitely a shock that it's already been a year," said Gruizenga, of Kalamazoo, said. "So many people were right there by their (the Smith's) side," Gruizenga said of the days, weeks and months following."

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton recalled standing on the floor of the House of Representatives asking colleagues to join in a moment of silence. Upton said Kalamazoo would not the events of Feb .20 define, divide or defeat the community.

"We cry our hearts off thinking about those victims, senseless tragedy, lives snuffed out, but we're not going to forget them. No we're not. We're going to walk a better step."

Upton was among many speakers to thank police and other first responders who responded that night.

"On that night, they are the ones that searched and scoured and stopped something that could have been more horrific," Fazio said.

A moment of silence was held for 4 minutes, 42 seconds, to symbolize the 4 hours, 42 minutes that law enforcement responded to the shooting scenes and eventually arrested suspect Jason Dalton for the shootings.

"On that night, they are the ones that searched and scoured and stopped something that could have been more horrific," Fazio said.

Following the vigil, the ForeverStrong Memorial Foundation, a new non-profit organization, was to announce a major initiative designed to "cultivate community strength and solidarity," according to a press release.

The project will include a permanent memorial to the shooting victims as well all victims of the June 7, 2016, bicycle crash that killed five bicyclists in Kalamazoo County.

This post originally appeared Feb. 20, 2017 on MLive.com.