Pocatello church prays for Charleston shooting victims

As America mourns the nine people who were gunned down inside an historically black church in Charleston last week, Idahoans are among those sending their prayers.

About 100 people attended a vigil Thursday at Pocatello’s Praise Temple of God Church. Photos of the nine shooting victims sat displayed on purple chairs as attendees sang hymns and prayed.

As Pocatello’s first female African-American pastor, Jacqualine Thomas said she thought it important to pray for those who lost their lives as a result of hatred.

“For the last several months, I’ve experienced what these nine people have experienced,” said Thomas.

Sometime after 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thomas said someone scratched a church-owned van in parking lot. She believes the vandalism is racially motivated.

“I feel that we’re going back 200 years in time versus progress and something is definitely wrong if we still have this much hatred bottled up in some individuals,” said Thomas.

Thomas said the best thing people can do is to pray.

“What God wants us to do is not to fight violence with violence, but let’s fight violence with love,” said Thomas.