Salem to Newtown Victims: 'We All Care'

Temperatures were in the teens Thursday night as dozens gathered in Salem to honor the 26 victims of the Newtown, Conn., elementary school shooting, though several attendees said it was more chilling that little has been done in the year since the shooting to prevent gun violence at schools and communities.

More than 30 people gathered outside St. David's Episcopal Church for Thursday's candlelight vigil, which was designed to honor the 20 students and six teachers who lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012.

Attendees said the ceremony also served as a reminder that more has to be done at the legislative and community level to cut back on gun deaths. Organizers said there have been 16 school shootings since Newtown and 30,000 people in the United States are killed annually by guns.

The video above showcases parts of the ceremony and some of the attendees, 26 of whom participated in a bell ringing by taking turns stating the name and age of each victim. 

Kathy Graziano, the Salem School District’s transportation coordinator, and Jason Martinez, a senior at Salem High School and a member of the school’s football team, speak in the video.

John Cerretani, a junior at Salem High School and a member of the football team, said the Newtown shooting affected him greatly. Cerretani came because he felt it was important to remember the individuals slain in Newtown, especially since he said the proximity to Christmas and the holiday season would make it “hard for everyone to swallow” if a similar incident happened in Salem or the surrounding area.

“My whole heart goes out to you guys,” Cerretani said to the victims. “I would not want to go through it. My heart goes out to you 100 percent. We’re terribly sorry.”