By Oregon Faith News Note,
1. Dying student’s last act saves pastor’s daughter
Pastor Randy Scoggins of New Beginnings Church of God told his congregation that his daughter, Lacey Scroggins, is alive today due to the heroic acts of a fellow student during the shooting. That student, Trevan Aunsbach, was shot but still was able to move his injured body to shield the woman next him who was Lacey. It was Trevan’s last act which helped the gunman to overlook Lacey lying on the floor. Lacey could feel the blood from Trevan on her back and credits his action for saving her life.
2. Gunman taunts religion
The gunman made a special point to invoke religion among his victims. Some witnesses said he asked those who were Christians to stand up before shooting them. Other witnesses heard the gunman say other things such as “Do you have a God?” and “Are you Christian? Do you have a religion?” The gunman was taunting people’s faith and their afterlife beliefs as he was holding their fate in this hands before he executed them. Pastor Schlesinger of the Garden Valley Church in Roseburg stated, “As those brave men and women were willing to stand and take a bullet for their faith… so let us bravely stand this day and live our faith in Roseburg.”
3. Forgiving the killer
Anna Boylan, was one of the victims of the shooting who survived. She told NBC News that she forgave him and said she “Felt sorry for him”. She said of her friends and fellow students that “their hearts and souls will not be forgotten.”
4. “Pray for Roseburg” memorial
A spontaneous sign saying “pray for Roseburg” was erected nearby and has become the place to drop memorials an tributes, filling up with flowers and notes. This moving sign and outpouring of support has been the feature of many national news stories covering this tragedy. As the school re-opened, a group of eight people gathered at the memorial to bow their heads to pray and remember the lost.
5. Methodists place full page graving ad
The United Methodist Church placed a full page ad in Sunday Oregonian stating “In the most difficult times, we are there for each other. Offering hope and healing for all those affected by the tragic shooting on the Umpqua Community College Campus”. A link to their gun violence page was featured as well.
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