A small memorial is being erected in Langley, British Columbia, for the victims of this week’s deadly shooting.
Two people were killed, two others injured, and community members believe most of them are homeless.
Advocates held a vigil in their honor Tuesday night outside the Cascades Casino, where the first victim is believed to have been shot.
A woman named Mistee said she had known the victims for more than a decade.
“They were harmless, they weren’t going to hurt anyone,” Misty said.
She says Langley’s street community is united and still in shock.
“I was sitting not far from the female that was shot, so I saw that it really worked,” she told CTV News.
Dozens of people gathered Tuesday night to pay their respects.
“It’s just disbelief and really sad,” said Alyssa Capon, who helped organize the event.
Capon says she and her mother have close ties to the vulnerable population in Langley.
“I actually moved to the street when I was very young and I’m recovering from drug addiction myself. So for my mom, the homeless population kind of represents me, Capon said.
However, just minutes into the vigil, a woman interrupted the event by shouting at the crowd.
Emotions then reached a boiling point after a man claiming to be the son of one of the victims confronted her.
He was angry and disturbed and was eventually subdued when she left.
“It’s really, really hard to watch people who aren’t struggling try to comment on the things they’re going through, so I understand 100 percent what happened in terms of the emotions and the volatility,” Capone said.
Another family member of one of the victims, who did not want to be identified, sent a message to the parents of suspected shooter Jordan Goggin, who was killed by police.
“I want them to know that we don’t blame them at all. They had a son with problems and we had a son with problems and we want them to know that we don’t blame them,” she said, her voice full of emotion.
The RCMP and IHIT held a networking event to offer support to those affected Monday afternoon.
Those struggling or seeking resources can still call the RCMP Victim Services at 604-599-7600.
With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Kevin Charach
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