NC Faith Leaders Mourn the Loss of UNC Charlotte Victims
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2019
MEDIA CONTACT
Michelle Nealy, mnealy@faithinpubliclife.org, (202) 735-7123
Kahran Myers, kmyers@faithinpubliclife.org, (727) 742-5193
NC Faith Leaders Mourn the Loss of UNC Charlotte Victims
CHARLOTTE, NC — On April 30th, a senseless and evil act of gun violence on UNC Charlotte’s campus killed two and injured four others. In light of this development, Charlotte faith leaders issued the following statements:
Rev. Rodney S. Sadler, Jr., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Bible, Union Presbyterian Seminary:
“God’s heart is broken. Clergy and religious leaders in Charlotte-Mecklenburg are heartbroken as well. Our hearts break for the community of UNC Charlotte who have had their lives upended, their security threatened, their souls troubled. Our hearts break for the families who lost loved ones, the people who have been injured, the diverse community of learning that has been ruptured by yet another instance of senseless gun violence. We are broken, but we are not without hope. We stand with you as you mourn and as you work to heal. And we pledge to work together with you to realize a Charlotte where all lives are valued and senseless gun violence is a thing of the past.”
Rev. Glencie Rhedrick, Co-Chair of Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice:
“Yesterday evening University of North Carolina in Charlotte witnessed tragedy as a result of gun violence. To achieve peace, we must find ways to address the pain, suffering and trauma in our communities. Addressing access to guns in our society requires engaging the political process to bring about policies that save lives. We were all made in the image of love.”
John Ederer, Imam and Religious Director, Muslim Community Center of Charlotte:
“The faith community of Charlotte is shocked at the horrific murders at UNCC. We are praying for the afflicted families as we mourn the senseless loss of life. At MeckMIN, we are working to cultivate a community that embraces peaceful understanding and rejects the normalized culture of violence. As reasonable people of faith, we are deeply troubled by a system that doesn’t seem to care who has guns, what kind of guns they have, and how they get them.”
Rev. John Cleghorn, Caldwell Presbyterian Church:
“The shooting at UNC Charlotte strikes at the heart of our community. UNCC is our university, a home-grown institution that signals the achievement of our city. Now, as if it were inevitable, gun violence has hit home, disrupting the peace that students, faculty, staff and administration should have every right to feel. I pray that our leaders and lawmakers will refuse to let Charlotte become just another entry on the long list of places where nothing changes after lives are lost to gun violence.”
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