Gary mass shooting victim remembered at prayer vigil

GARY, Ind. (WLS) — A prayer vigil at True Religion Church in Gary Wednesday memorialized Laurence Mangum, who was shot and killed in a mass capturing at a block celebration final week.
“Tonight we grieve in Gary like in Highland Park,” mentioned Bishop Tavis Grant.

Mangum was at a block celebration in Gary the place seven folks had been injured and three folks, together with him and a cousin of Mayor Jerome Prince, had been killed.

READ MORE: Gary mayor says cousin was amongst 3 folks fatally shot at July Fourth block celebration; 7 others wounded

The capturing occurred about 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, July 5, throughout an Independence Day block celebration in a residential neighborhood. Law enforcement officials arrived to seek out the three capturing victims unresponsive.

“Laurence was my protector,” mentioned Charice Moody, fiancee. “He will shield me from heaven, so I’ve nothing to fret about.”
True Religion Church was the place his household mentioned Mangum met his first loves of rhythm and religion.

“If he could not sit within the church the place he may see the drummer, he would act up,” mentioned Gail Mangum, grandmother.

His household mentioned Mangum grew into an completed musician, taking part in at church buildings all through Northwest Indiana.

“He touched lots of lives by means of that and I thank God for everybody that is gathered for him right this moment,” Gail Mangum mentioned.

Bishop Grant, with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, knew Mangum from his three a long time as a pastor within the space.
“Laurence shedding his life so younger and so valuable has left a void in our neighborhood,” he mentioned.

The Gary Widespread Council additionally held a public security assembly Wednesday nights, with leaders and residents demanding a plan to deal with the rise in violence.

“This nation and this neighborhood is experiencing an epidemic in violence, and that is evident by the whole lot that we see right here domestically,” one resident mentioned.

Simply this Monday, not even per week after Mangum was killed, Gary police mentioned 4 folks had been shot inside minutes in three separate, focused incidents.