Providence Journal/Glenn Osmundson
Four women holding the photos of Aynis Vargas (from left, Eugelyn Cabrera, of Providence, Dariana Alvarez, of Providence, Gladi Rios, of Providence, Vargas' grandmother, and Marleny Pena, of Central Falls) march in a peace vigil on Saturday.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Nearly 200 Rhode Island residents from as far as Pascoag united Saturday night for a peace march and vigil against gun violence.
They stopped for prayer at the Hartford Avenue housing project site where 12-year-old Aynis Vargas, in whose memory the event was held, was killed at a high school graduation party two weeks ago.
Neighborhood children led the walk. One held a sign decorated with hot pink and teal blue flowers that read, "Stop hurting kids and start taking care of them." The marchers continued to a podium at Bodell and Hartford avenues.
Clergy huddled around the family on the stage, and asked God to rid the community of the violence that "plagues" it.
Aynis' father, Teofilo Vargas, told the crowd in Spanish and some English that unity is needed to fight the kind of people who killed his daughter.
Girls about Aynis' age played in a park behind the stage.
City Councilwoman Sabina Matos, who helped organize the vigil, said Vargas also said he is "looking for justice without hate."
Mayor Angel Taveras, City Council President Michael Solomon and about a half-dozen other council members attended, as did police Chief Hugh Clements, peace workers, housing officials, several police officers and residents.
Taveras and the chief vowed to find the shooter, or shooters, and asked anyone with information to call an anonymous gun tip hot line at (855) 766-7100.