Vigil held as community continues to mourn following Mall of Louisiana shooting

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Hundreds attended a candlelight vigil held near the scene, just days after gunfire erupted inside the mall.

The gathering served as a moment of remembrance for the six people shot, including 17-year-old Martha Odom, a high school senior from Lafayette who later died from her injuries.

“Today we come together because a young high school senior lost her life here. That never should happen,” one speaker told the crowd.

Mourners stood together, many in tears, as they reflected on the violence and its lasting impact.

Rain and Alex Swibre, who both work at the mall, said they were nearby when the shooting happened and are still coping with what they experienced. Neither has returned to work.

“I have been in three hours of grief counseling. I had to be about 15 feet away from where the murder happened,” Rain said.

Others gathered in support of Donnie Guillory, one of the victims who remains hospitalized in critical condition. His friends from the Special Olympics described him as a familiar and beloved presence at the mall.

“Donnie comes to the mall every day. Everybody at the mall knows him,” one friend, Rebekah Rutherford said. “It’s just tough. Donnie didn’t deserve this. Nobody deserved this.”

As the vigil came to a close, organizers shared a message written by Odom just days before her death. The passage, a Bible verse, was read aloud at the request of her family.

“And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things have passed away,” the verse read.

Community leaders encouraged those in attendance to carry Odom’s words forward as they continue to heal.

“I ask tonight that these words of Martha Odom are remembered, and that they guide us toward continued unity, hope and healing,” Louisiana State Rep. Annie Spell said.

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