About two dozen people attended a prayer vigil at a Salvation Army church in Montreal Thursday night for the victims of the shootings at Dawson College.

They sang Amazing Grace, prayed and many cried as they tried to make sense of the violence that erupted at the college on Sept. 13.

Anastasia De Sousa is shown in her high school yearbook.
(Ian Barrett/Canadian Press)

Many were mourning Anastasia De Sousa, the 18-year-old business student who was shot dead in the attack on the school.

Zaz Zielinski, wearing dark sunglasses and a black hooded sweatshirt, had De Sousa's name tattooed on his forearm Thursday to honour the first woman he says he loved. "She was an incredible person. She shone like a star," he said, remembering her as a fun, outgoing and loving friend.

Her death is difficult to accept but it's a reminder not to take life for granted, said Zielinski. "It's sad that a situation like this has to occur for people to look up from their feet, and realize they're not the only ones, and there are other people out there."

Dawson College student Tony Paraskevas says he has turned to his faith to make sense of De Sousa's death. "You don't want to be alone after that. What better people to be with than people who believe what you believe, and people who loved who you loved."

Sebastien Frappier, the church pastor, urged mourners to seek solace in prayer over the next few days and weeks as they start to process the shootings. Many will wonder why this happened, said Frappier.

"How can a loving God allow this? We wonder this in our lives all the time." There's no easy answer, but God has a master plan, Frappier said. And it's important to spend time with loved ones and comfort one another in difficult times.