UVA Lacrosse Death: Candlelight Vigil for Yeardley Love Brings Thousands Together

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS/AP) Members of the University of Virginia community packed the campus amphitheater Wednesday evening for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Yeardley Love. Thousands gathered to share their grief with the hope of finding comfort and support in their fellow classmates and campus leaders.

PICTURES: Yeardley Love Murdered; George Huguely Charged

The night was filled with music and heartfelt speeches from the university's president John Casteen, the Student Council President Colin Hood and the 4th year president Sarah Elaine Hart. By the end of the evening there were not many dry eyes in the amphitheater.

President John Casteen urged students to speak out and be aware of their surroundings.

PICTURES: Yeardley Love Murdered; George Huguely Charged

"My hope for Yeardley and for you is that her dying inspires an anger, a sense of outrage that no woman need ever fear for their safety," said Casteen at Wednesday's vigil.

Colin Hood, Student Council President, voiced the same concern.

"Help one another. The person to your left, the person to your right everyone in this amphitheater and beyond. Leave tonight with knowledge that the blows and the abuse that somehow ended Yeardley's life threaten all of us," said Hood.

The next hurdle for Yeardley's friends and family is the funeral, which is planned for Saturday.

CBS NEWS spoke to Yeardley Love's uncle Granville Swope, and he recounted the way his niece radiated humor and love, saying, "She liked to call me Uncle Granny. That was as good as it gets."

Swope told CBS NEWS he last saw his niece six weeks ago. "We enjoyed the game, we enjoyed everything about it. She loved the University of Virginia, which I do too." said Swope, who was an All-American lacrosse athlete at UVA.

Police are still investigating the death of Love who was found early Monday morning by a roommate who thought Love had suffered an alcohol overdose; however, police say Love's body showed obvious signs of physical trauma. Police arrested Love's ex-boyfriend George Huguely on first-degree murder charges. In court documents, police say Huguely admitted to banging Love's head into a wall while shaking her.

Huguely's lawyer contends that the death was an accident.

Additional Reporting by Joy Lin of CBS News/The Early Show.