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Winston-Salem State University Vigil Honors Shooting Victim Najee Baker

Students and community members gather at a vigil for WSSU student Najee Baker. BETHANY CHAFIN/WFDD

Students and community members gathered on the campus of Winston-Salem State University Wednesday evening for a vigil honoring Najee Baker, who was a student shot and killed over the weekend. 

The group met at the base of the clock tower on campus. Winston-Salem State University Dean of Students Jamar Banks spoke to the crowd.

"I'm tired. I'm tired of us being on this side of the violent crime statistic rather than the graduation statistic," he said. "I'm exhausted by parents, families, students coming together for these kinds of sad occasions rather than the joys of celebration and triumphs."

It was an evening about family - the campus family, and Baker's family who was there. Together they released red and white balloons, the school colors dotting the sky.

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Red and white balloons released at the WSSU vigil for Najee Baker. BETHANY CHAFIN/WFDD

Student Ivory Simmons says she didn't know Baker personally, but feels like she did.

"You can tell that the whole campus is hurting, even the people that don't know him," she said. "You can feel it; it's a feeling on the campus where everyone's sad and we're trying to push through with classes but it's still right there, noticeable that someone's missing."

That someone was a 21-year-old New Yorker, a student and a member of the Rams football team.

The vigil was short, but the crowd stayed. Dozens of people waited to take their turn to pay respect to Baker's family and his legacy.

Bethany joined the staff of WFDD in the fall of 2012. She received her B.A. and M.A. in English Literature from Wake Forest University and focused on Anglo-Irish writing. Between undergraduate studies and graduate school, Bethany served as the intern to Talk of the Nation at NPR in D.C., participating in live NPR Election Night Coverage, Presidential debate broadcasts, regular Talk of the Nation shows, and helping to plan the inaugural broadcast of ‘Talk of the World.' She enjoys engaging with her interests in books, politics, and art in the interdisciplinary world of public radio. Before becoming Assistant News Director, Bethany was a reporter and Associate Producer for WFDD's Triad Arts and Triad Arts Weekend. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Bethany enjoys calling the Piedmont home.

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