Hundreds gather in Rockland County to remember family killed in murder-suicide
WEST NYACK, N.Y. -- More than 1,000 people gathered for a community-wide candlelight vigil in Rockland County on Wednesday night to remember a mother and her two boys killed over the weekend. Their father, a Bronxville police sergeant, pulled the trigger before turning the gun on himself.
"We instantly had a bond. She was not only my teacher; she became a mother figure to me," a woman named Karishma said of Ornela Morgan.
Karishma could barely contain her tears.
"She would always check on me to see if I was okay," Karishma said of her former teacher.
READ MORE: Rockland County community trying to come to grips with murder-suicide that took local family
The sentiment was shared by many on Wednesday night in Germonds Park. Strangers became friends as they shared the same pain.
"The community needed it. The family needed it," one woman said.
"It's incredible to find a word as to why did this happen," said Lou De Palma of Clarkstown.
It's question they can't answer, but their focus was to come together to hug, to find comfort, as they remembered Ornela, 43, and her two boys, Gabriel, 12, and Liam, 10.
"Lovely, lovely boys, so nice," one person said.
"This is important for the healing process. We have been working with the school district to make sure there are lot of counselors here," Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann said.
READ MORE: Family of 4 found dead in apparent murder-suicide in New City, New York
On a screen, family photos were shown of Ornela and the boys in happier times. Ornela was a doting mother and her sons were involved in Boy Scouts, soccer and raised with true values.
"Kindness in Liam was synonymous. Holding a door, helping a fellow student with math," one person said.
Clearly, the person missing was Watson Morgan, the 49-year-old Bronxville police sergeant who died by suicide after shooting and killing his family on Friday evening.
"I couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it. It's still hard to believe," friend Norma Pomerantz said.
"You don't make any sense of it. You must have faith and you pray for him as well," neighbor Jacqueline Camilo said.
But the focus was truly on a family involved in so many aspects of the community.
"Their mom was super-involved. Those tentacles spread far and wide and this has affected everybody in our town. Clarkstown is 88,000 people, but tonight it feels like a small hometown," Hoehmann said.
A small town has a big hole in its heart as it tries to find answers and heal.