The Marshall County community gathered Thursday evening at their high school for a ‘Night of Hope and Healing’ to mark two years since the deadly shooting at the school.
Marshall County community members joined together despite rainy weather and cold temperatures to not focus on trauma, but rather their sources of strength. Cody Myers is a worship leader at First Baptist Church in Benton. He said the community has become stronger in the aftermath of the tragedy.
“The community has rallied anyone and everyone that needs support in some pretty big ways. I love that it’s become a pretty vital part of the culture of Marshall County ever since 2018,” Myers said. “I hope, and I’m sure it will, continues to be that way.”
Mary Foley, Director of the Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center in Paducah, said the organization is working to bring a ‘Resilience Center’ to Marshall County by March. School District Recovery Coordinator Scott Terry said the center will play a pivotal role in the community’s healing process.
“I think it will be kind of the central focal point where folks who do have ideas or do have resources that they can share with the community can come to share those with the community,” Terry said. “And then the people in the community will know that those resources are available at that point.”
The shooting injured more than a dozen people and killed two students. The alleged shooter is being charged with two counts of murder and several counts of first-degree assault. A trial date is set for June 1.
