Students across Kentucky are banding together in support of the victims of Tuesday’s tragic school shooting.
A 15-year-old student gunman targeted students with a pistol just before 8 a.m. in the common area of Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky where students gather before class. Two students were murdered and at least 18 more were injured.
While many Kentucky students are wearing the school’s colors and flooding social media with encouraging word, students at several different high school have gathered together in prayer.
Students at a neighboring school, Paducah Tilghman High School, organized a prayer circle Wednesday morning in sub-freezing temperatures. Several peers from the victim school also joined.
We stand behind you, Marshall County. pic.twitter.com/mhjIU47L0k
— Tilghman Pride (@tilghman_pride) January 24, 2018
The support of the community is stretching far with many students recounting the events of what happened that day and noting, “You never think it’ll happen to you, until it does.”
You never think it will happen to you. This morning my biggest issue was a chemistry test 4th block, and now I just pray that my friends and family are okay. I love you Marshall county. #MarshallStrong
— keatonallyourfood (@KeatonConner) January 23, 2018
Never thought something like this would happen in my area, never take anything in life for granted #MarshallStrong
— Eli Brown (@EliBr0wn) January 24, 2018
Never in my life would I expect this to become a reality. Doesn’t seem real. The kid shot right where I stand in the mornings. Everyone should count your blessings. We need to stand together through this. #marshallstrong
— Dylan Rayburn (@dylan_rayburn4) January 23, 2018
You never think something like this will happen until it goes, but I’m thankful the Lord is with us anyways. I love you, Marshall County High School. We’re #marshallstrong
— cam (@ckingg13) January 23, 2018
Following suit, students, teachers and staff at other schools around the state joined in prayer while wearing Marshall County High’s colors of blue and orange.
Carlisle vs McCracken #MarshallStrong pic.twitter.com/xq1HJAbn5E
— Korie Bowles (@BowlesKorie) January 24, 2018
More #SCKYFCA huddles praying for #MarshallStrong. Metcalfe County HS, South Warren HS, and Monroe County MS praying for the coaches, campus, community and our FCA staffer Eric Grogan @WestKyFCA pic.twitter.com/RINcoRzg0t
— South Central KY FCA (@SCKYFCA) January 25, 2018
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes.” -Revelation 21:4
We are all going to continue to pray for you all #marshallstrong
thank you to Clare Canter for her video of MHS pic.twitter.com/dgZVw6nZhP— journi (@journi_reeves) January 25, 2018
WEHS FCA morning prayer for Marshall County HS. #marshallstrong #SCKYFCA pic.twitter.com/miMJDpduLd
— Jennifer Cooper (@JennBG83) January 24, 2018
Mt. Vernon Township High School (Illinois) #MarshallStrong pic.twitter.com/M2hokK1qXV
— KY HIGH FOOTBALL (@KYHighFootball) January 25, 2018
Ballard Memorial is with you. We pray for a special kind of healing as you all deal with such grief that we can not understand. We pray for each and every person effected by today’s tragic event. Together you can conquer such loss. #MarshallStrong pic.twitter.com/ONOoDsX9Mm
— Meg. (@mcwalker03) January 24, 2018
Yesterday stood still for Marshall County and they are not alone. Pope County is behind you and support you. Not just for Marshall but for everyone.
We may be small but we are #MarshallStrong pic.twitter.com/WVdFjfYvUs— Alexandria Hughes (@AllieHughes99) January 25, 2018
Last week, there were about 15 in our FCA meeting. This morning, over 150 got together to pray for the events that happened yesterday. No doubt in my mind that God is using this tragedy so we can give him glory. Good job, MHS! #MarshallStrong pic.twitter.com/SY3zOKc57Z
— Brady Smith (@Brady_Smith15) January 24, 2018
Praying for MCHS#MarshallStrong pic.twitter.com/aEDnPSUCTk
— Shelby Brown (@shelby_brown_17) January 24, 2018
this is why I love living in a small town #MarshallStrong pic.twitter.com/XUrenhhqHN
— Amy Sue Tish (@AmySueTish29) January 24, 2018
we are heart broken but we are blessed to have each other. sending love and big prayers from bg to our home. we are #MarshallStrong pic.twitter.com/MrdSZgmdKC
— Emma Henry (@emmahenryyy) January 25, 2018
went from green and gold to orange and blue for our kentucky friends at Marshall County High school all the way from bullitt county #MarshallStrong pic.twitter.com/xXJDRjp3Rp
— samantha (@samhensonn) January 25, 2018
Police have not yet confirmed the identity of the shooter, but kids at the school have identified their fellow classmate.
While a motive has not been released, screenshots of the suspect’s now-deleted Instagram account are circling the internet and show him quoting Joseph Stalin in his biography and declaring himself a member of the “United Church of Bacon.” (link)
The so-called “church” identifies as being “skeptic” and “atheist” and was founded in 2010. Now claiming to have 13,000 members, their site claims to “doubt religion” and was started “as a protest… to start a real, legal church with a funny name and then demand the same rights as mainstream religions.”
Despite the tragedy, many are speaking up to remind the community to pray for the shooter as well.
Pray for us. Pray for a dear friend of mine that was hurting so badly he decided to do this. Pray for the families of the victims. What he did was awful, but he is not an awful person. #marshallstrong
— Madison (@panicmess) January 23, 2018
As you extend your thoughts and prayers toward the victims and their families, please remember the family of the attacker as well. They thought yesterday would be just a normal day, too. #MarshallStrong
— Μaddie Rose (@maddie_rose_2) January 24, 2018
‘If he was hurting, I wish we could have helped him’ says one student about the shooter. ‘You can be mad and you can be upset. We don’t know what was wrong.’ #marshallcounty high students have prayer vigil with Paducah Tilghman students Wednesday morning. #MarshallStrong pic.twitter.com/eQqLTOGynE
— Matt Stone (@mattstonephotog) January 24, 2018







