Hundreds attended a silent vigil Thursday night for Jun Lin, the Chinese student who was brutally killed and dismembered in Montreal last month.
The vigil was held in Montreal’s Dorchester Square, where candles flickered and incense wafted through the air.
Organizer Edith Bernier, 31, a federal government office worker, said she did not know Lin but organized the vigil because she wanted to honour Lin and provide a counterpoint to media coverage of his grisly death.
“I wanted to bring a more compassionate side to this story,” she said. “I just felt compelled to do something.”
The site of the vigil was a few blocks from Concordia University, where Lin was studying computer science and engineering.
Lin’s family say they are still coping with the “devastating attack” on their son, but say they’ve been “moved” by the outpouring of compassion they’ve received, thanking consulates and embassies, the Montreal police, Concordia University along with citizens in Canada and abroad for their kind words and efforts to help.
“This tragic loss is not only a devastating attack to our family, but also has had a tremendous impact on the whole society,” they wrote in a one-page statement.
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“We are deeply touched by the kindness inspired by this human tragedy.”
Concordia University has set up a website for those wishing to donate to the Jun Lin Family Fund or the Jun Lin Award.
The family said in the letter that the award “perfectly reflects” Lin’s compassionate spirit, and thanked those who offered condolences and assistance.
“We are very grateful and moved by the kindness and sympathy for us,” they wrote.
Small shrines have popped up near the university, and outside the convenience store Lin worked at.
Concordia said last week that it has received a flood of calls and emails from the public from around the world. The school took over the Lin Jun Rest in Peace Foundation, which was a bank account set up by the Concordia Chinese Students Association because Concordia officials are more equipped to handle the fund.
In the meantime, Lin’s alleged killer, Luka Magnotta, is awaiting extradition from Germany, where he was arrested in Berlin a week ago. Montreal police are on their way to the German capital to retrieve him.
Police also confirm that in searching Magnotta’s apartment, they obtained access into his computer. They say it has an earlier version of the now infamous murder and dismemberment video, which runs about 15 minutes.
With files from Postmedia News, and Global National’s Mike Armstrong
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