Healing continues for Dawson college students

A healing ceremony to honour victims of the Dawson College shootings drew hundreds of people to a downtown Montreal church Wednesday night.

Dawson students wearing their school colours— white and blue— were joined by Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay and other mourners during the non-denominational ceremony at St. James United Church.

The People's Gospel Choir of Montreal sang hymns as some mourned the loss of 18-year-old Anastasia De Sousa, the business student slain in the shooting attacks. De Sousa's immediate family sat in a front pew of the church, surrounded by students and faculty.

Others came to show support for the Dawson College community, which is attempting to return to normal school life one week after the attacks.

"We came here to be with the immediate family, the De Sousa family, but also with the Dawson family," said Tremblay.

The ceremony was held the same day three more victims wounded in the shootings were released from Montreal General Hospital.

Five people remain hospitalized with gunshot injuries. Two victims are in intensive care— one who sustained gunshots to the head and remains in a coma, and and another who was shot in the chest and abdomen. Two other victims are recovering in private rooms.

The fifth victim, who was shot in the leg, is recovering at the Jewish General Hospital.

On Thursday night, mental-health workers and Dawson officials will meet with parents at the Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in Westmount to answer questions about handling the emotional aftermath of the attacks. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.ET at the temple at 4100 Sherbrooke St. W.