‘Prescott Stands with Pittsburgh’ vigil set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3

A candlelight vigil will take place Saturday evening on the Yavapai County Courthouse steps to honor the victims of last weekend’s shooting that claimed the lives of 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

The vigil, which is being co-sponsored by the City of Prescott and the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Prescott, is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3.

The vigil will include brief remarks by Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli, Jewish Community Foundation President David Hess, and Pastor Dan Storvick, retired minister from The American Lutheran Church of Prescott. There also will be comments by Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, and Prescott Valley Mayor Harvey Skoog, followed by a moment of silence, song and prayer. Electric candles will be distributed to the crowd.

The event is open to the public, and organizers are encouraging the community turn out to grapple together with the synagogue attack that is being termed a hate crime.

According to an Associated Press account, Robert Bowers, a 46-year-old truck driver who authorities say raged against Jews as he gunned down 11 and wounded six on Saturday, Oct. 27, was charged Tuesday, Oct. 30, in a 44-count indictment with murder, hate crimes and other offenses that could bring the death penalty.