A Day Marked by Tragedy
Following the horrific massacre on the Florida State University campus, Downtown Community Church attendees resorted to prayer as the solace for a day marked with grief. Two dead and six wounded were left on the campus when a 20-year-old gunman, a student and son of a Leon County Sheriff’s Office deputy, started firing.
A Surreal Experience on Campus
Ella Williams received the alert indicating an active shooter while on university grounds. Williams stated, “It was very surreal.” “Everyone basically stopped.”
“We knew just what we had to accomplish. We secured the door with desks and chairs. We closed all the windows and turned off the lights, then we sort of stayed in the corner waiting it out for a short bit.”
Coffee Shop Employees Seek Shelter
Not too far from the university union, Miriam Sancey was working at a mobile coffee shop when she learned of the shooting.
“We simply stopped what we were doing and dashed into the adjacent Calvin’s coffee; it’s like a church and coffee shop scenario. And they brought us right in,” Sancey added.
“We were clearly in a very vulnerable position, thus I’m just really grateful that they let anyone in need of cover access their doors.”
Faith as a Refuge Amid Chaos
During the lockdown, Williams and Sancey started praying. The campus got an all-clear, then they visited church.
