Tempe mosque holding vigil in honor of victims of New Zealand massacre

TEMPE, Ariz. (FOX 10) - A vigil was held Saturday night in the wake of the mosque shootings in New Zealand. 50 people have died in the attack at two mosques in the town of Christchurch.

That's after a man opened fire for more than half an hour on Friday. This evening, the community comes together to mourn.

Dozens packed the Islamic Community Center of Tempe standing in solidarity after a vicious attacked killed 50 people at multiple mosques in New Zealand.

"We mourn with the Muslim community, we stand with the Muslim community here," said Paul Rockower with the Jewish Community Council. "This type of tragedy is senseless and brutal and horrific."

Rockower felt it was important to show people that they wouldn't stand down in the face of evil.

"It's only by coming together with the community, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh," said Rockower. "Coming together and saying we stand against this type of hate, and that's how we heal the wounds."

For others, it was about doing something - anything - after another shooting claimed innocent lives.

"I was so sad to hear that so many people were killed for no good reason other than hate," said vigil attendee Rebecca Keck. "And I feel like we need to do something, we need to stand together and say we can't put up with this anymore."

While millions around the world continue to grieve with New Zealand, many hope this will be the last vigil they have to attend.

"I think education is really important," Keck said. "We need to educate our children in a way [that] they learn to love that differences are a good thing, not a bad thing."