Follow us on

Wednesday, June 19, 2013 | 8:06 a.m.

Posted: 10:35 p.m. Monday, April 9, 2012

Oikos University to hold memorial for shooting victims

Oikos University memorial
Oikos University memorial

Related

OAKLAND, Calif —

Oikos University in Oakland is scheduled to hold a public memorial Tuesday morning for the seven people who were killed when a gunman opened fire on campus last week.

Services will take place at the small Christian college that was the site of the deadliest campus shooting since the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.

The memorial comes after the college began holding a series of noontime concerts to honor the six students and school secretary allegedly gunned down by former nursing student One Goh. Three people were also wounded in the shooting.

The 43-year-old Goh has been charged with seven counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder, plus a special circumstance allegation of committing multiple murders that could make him eligible for the death penalty.

Goh has not yet entered a plea and is due back in court on April 30.

Investigators say Goh, who was born in South Korea and later became a U.S. citizen, was angry about being expelled from the school and being teased for his poor English skills.

Oikos is focused on serving Korean immigrants but is attended by students from around the world. The victims of the April 2 shooting rampage came from a number of countries, including Korea, Nepal, Nigeria and the Philippines.

The victims have been identified by the Alameda County Coroners Bureau as Doris Chibuko, 40, of San Leandro; Judith Seymour, 53, of San Jose; Grace EunHea Kim, 23; Lydia Sim of Hayward; Bhutia Tshering, 38, of San Francisco; and Sonam Choedon, 33, of El Cerrito. Secretary Katleen Ping, 24, of Oakland was identified by her father, Liberty Ping.

The state Senate closed its Monday afternoon session in memory of the victims.

"The students at Oikos University were people who were working hard to achieve the American dream," said Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, who represents a San Francisco Bay Area district where three of the victims lived.

A group of women who's lives have been touched by violence formed a "circle of prayer" Monday night outside Oikos University in Oakland.

The woman, a group of mothers and several church leaders, came to pay their respects to the shooting victims. The names of the victims were read out loud and those gathered joined their hands in prayer.

"I understand what these families are going through," said Lorraine Taylor, a Bay Area mother who has lost two children to violence.

Taylor joined others including Brenda Grishman in a call to action.

"We can't just pray and go home. If everybody go home and do nothing, nothing's ever going to change, " said Grisham.

They said changes include accessibility to mental health services and early intervention to get people the help they need. Taylor also offered up a prayer for the lone suspect Goh.

"I hope that everyone will embrace the thought of this young man who took it up upon himself to take seven lives, to pray for him," said Taylor.

Nam Soo Woo, Oikos's academic dean and chaplin also participated in the circle of prayer.

The memorial scheduled to take place outside the University Tuesday morning at 10  a.m. will be open to the public.

More News

 
Featured Articles
Ads By Google
 

KTVU on Twitter

Bay Area Living

A nod to the late wine country pioneer Robert Mondavi

The popular Napa Valley destination, Robert Mondavi Winery, celebrated their late founder, Robert Mondavi, and his 100th birthday on June 18th.