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Community gathers to remember Seattle shooting victims

SEATTLE — Many will gathered Saturday afternoon to remember the five people who were killed in Wednesday’s shooting spree at two Seattle locations.

About 200 people attended the gathering outside of Café Racer in Ravenna for the victims and to speak out against violence.

Wednesday’s shooting started at Café Racer in the University District, when a man shot five people inside, police said. Only one of the five survived. After that incident, the man fatally shot a woman in downtown Seattle. The gunman, Ian Stawicki, then turned the gun on himself and died Wednesday evening.

Police shut down the road to traffic due to the number of people at the memorial.

Candles, flowers and notes have been placed in front of Café Racer since the shooting.

On Friday evening, mourners were invited to a public service held at Seattle’s St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, and at St. James Catholic Cathedral.

Patricia Patterson, a mourner, told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News she was more concerned about the wave of shootings in the area.

“I have always found that prayer is very helpful,” Patterson said. “I’m tremendously concerned and wonder how many more times something like this has to happen before we will truly come together as a society and address the big issues at hand.”

Friends and families of the victims were in attendance. Don Largen was one of the victims who died at Café Racer and KIRO 7 reporter Alison Grande spoke with his brother Dean Largen.

“Shows how loved these people were and are in our hearts, and that we have to continue. Like they said, ‘To help people with problems, help with the violence and try and do something about this.

The Largen family told KIRO 7 they donated Don’s organs. They also so the size of the crowd at Saturday’s memorial showed how much the victims were loved.

Largen’s brother Kenny Largen said he was angry about the shooting and with the gunman.

A city-wide memorial will be held starting at 6 p.m. at St. Mark’s Cathedral and the procession will end at St. James Cathedral. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and different religious leaders will be in attendance.

On Sunday evening, there will be a benefit concert at 8 p.m. in the alley behind Café Racer to help raise money for the victim’s families.