Langley vigil honours victims of Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, including former local student

Several hundred people gathered in Langley on Saturday evening, lighting candles and laying flowers in memory of the victims of the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, including a 12-year-old girl who, community members say, spent most of her childhood in the Lower Mainland city.

The Feb. 10 shooting left eight people dead, six of them children in one of the worst mass shootings in Canadian history.

One of the victims, 12-year-old Zoey Benoit, attended Blacklock Fine Arts Elementary in Langley until Grade 4, according to Emily Huang, a teacher-librarian at the school.

She says many in the community remember Zoey, who spent much of her childhood in the city before moving to Tumbler Ridge with her family in 2023.

At Saturday’s vigil in the park, flowers, candles and framed photos lined a temporary memorial on a raised stage, where community members took turns sharing reflections and poems, including one from Huang, which described Zoey as "a burst of life, warmth, and a Kaleidoscope of colours."

"Hands always raised, sometimes without the answer but always with the desire to learn more … to know more," she recited in memory of her student. 

Organizer Natasha Fisher said the gathering was meant to remind people in Tumbler Ridge they were not alone in their grief.

“Even from miles away, we want the people of Tumbler Ridge to know that they're not alone; their grief is shared, their community is supported, their loved ones are deeply mourned,” Fisher said.

She said the tragedy had deeply affected families and children in Langley, some of whom share a personal connection to Zoey.

“I know the children are feeling this deep in their hearts as much as the adults are,” she said. “May tonight be a space for remembering, even in the darkest moments, light still exists in every candle and every heart here.”

For Karelle Broyles, the vigil was also personal. She has family in Tumbler Ridge, including her nephew’s children who were inside the school during the shooting.

“They have such massive sorrow now, in such a small community,” Broyles said. “And I think the sorrow that's shared, is lightened.”.

“It’s a way to give people a time to come and grieve and to share in the sorrow, which takes a lot of courage,” she said.

Langley City Mayor Nathan Pachal said the vigil reflected the deep connection between the two communities.