Parkland remembers victims 5 years after school massacre

By TERRY SPENCER
Associated Press

PARKLAND, Fla. (AP) — The community of Parkland, Florida, has gathered to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the murder of 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. About 200 people attended Tuesday’s ceremony outside a community counseling center that opened up after the massacre. They released doves, lit candles, recited prayers and shed tears. Victims’ family members said the showing of support helps them cope with their loss. The ceremony also included an acknowledgment of Monday night’s shooting at Michigan State University, where three students died. President Joe Biden issued a video statement honoring the families. He called for a ban on military-style semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15 the Stoneman Douglas shooter used.