Thousands Attend Prayer Services & Vigils To Stand In Solidarity With Shooting Victims

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

ORLANDO (CBSMiami) – At a prayer service at First Baptist Church in Orlando, thousands gathered to show solidarity in the face of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

As pastors beseeched people to pray and show love in the face of hatred, Orlando residents like Marie Renwick said the horror of what happened inside the Pulse nightclub is too difficult to comprehend.

"I pray that the community finds peace, but I feel this is just senseless," she said.

Hundreds of students came together at the University of Central Florida to honor the victims – two of them attended the university.

"We will not be shaken. We're strong and we will get past this."

Despite the goodwill and unity for the LGBT community in Orlando, there were still vestiges of discrimination against gays on display.

A pastor from California spoke of hatred and violence in the wake of the Pulse nightclub shooting.

"I think Orlando is a little bit safer tonight now… the tragedy is that more of them didn't die," the pastor said.

That is a sentiment at odds with the outpouring of love witnessed in Orlando, across the U.S. and around the world.

We also heard Tuesday from Demetrice Naulings who was at Pulse with his best friend Eddie Justice…

He said when the shots rang it they could not believe what was happening…

"It was complete silence. Complete silence. You could hear a pin drop. You could hear the clip fall on the floor," he said.

Naulings said he and Justice ran to a bathroom to hide.

"He looked at me and said, Take care of me. Don't leave me,'" he recalled.

At some point the men got separated.

Naulings escaped and soon after got a text from his friend.

"The last thing my friend text me was 'Please help me. Help me. I've been shot and I'm going into shock,'" he said.

At the UCF memorial speakers read Justice's name along with 48 others.

As the lights glowed, hearts were heavy remembering the lives cut short.

Tuesday night, at the prayer vigil at the church, people wore these purple ribbons as a sign of solidarity.

On Wednesday, we expect to hear from the first responders who rushed to Pulse on Sunday morning. They will share their stories.

And the city of Orlando is also opening a family assistance center for victims and families to get the help they need.