Local church reacts to Millikin students hurt in shooting

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — WAND News is learning more about the Millikin University students who are recovering from a shooting Sunday night. That evening, pastors at Resurrection Life Church received the call no pastor hopes for: two members of their congregation were hurt in a shooting.

"Just wrapping up our community event with Avada and some of the students, some of the leaders of FCA at Millikin. So we were in the Fellowship Hall when several of us got phone calls," Rusty Greenwood, the Lead Pastor at Resurrection Life Church told WAND News.

"It was a shocker. I mean we had just had an incredible time with fellowship and hanging out, and then to hear of these two kids being in a shooting, it was pretty scary at first," Community Pastor David Ndemb explained.

The two students were shot during a road rage incident on Sunday a little before 7 p.m. They were taken to Decatur Memorial Hospital by ambulance for treatment.

The pastors leaned on their faith, praying for the students and gathering outside the hospital.

"Probably 40-50 kids gathered outside the ER, for about an hour, two hours, maybe longer. Just the community gathered together in support for our two friends here, who were in that situation, and prayed together, stood together," Pastor Ndemb told WAND News.

The church is offering counseling and a prayer service to help their community process what happened.

"They play baseball, one does track. They love community, they're super involved in community events, they're believers that love the Lord and just great people," Pastor Ndemb explained.

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2 Millikin students injured in road rage shooting while leaving church event

Mayor Julie Moore Wolf said she was in disbelief when she heard about the incident.

"As a parent you send your kids off to school to college and you hope they are in a very safe bubble. Unfortunately the world isn't the safe bubble you would like it to be for any of us," Mayor Moore Wolfe told WAND News.

Now, she has one message for the community.

"Whoever did this will be caught and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Mayor Moore Wolfe said.

Police ask anyone with surveillance video in the area to contact Decatur Police Department.