Christopher Skinner Vigil
There were more than a thousand people at C+W and who walked to Adelaide Street.
Hate crime or not (that's unknown at this point in time) it was a wonderful expression of this community coming together to mark the tragic, unnecessary ending of a young life.
Slain man mourned amid a sea of candles
Hundreds walk to scene where Christopher Skinner was killed
Published On Mon Oct 26 2009
The intersection of Church and Wellesley Sts. became quiet and solemn on Sunday night, as hundreds gathered to pay tribute to murder victim Christopher Skinner.
Church St. was a sea of flickering candles, as up to 1,000 people showed up for the vigil. Skinner, 27, was killed Oct. 18 after being beaten by a group of men shortly after 3 a.m. Skinner was reportedly left lying on the pavement near a black SUV, which witnesses say was then deliberately driven over his body.
Toronto police have since released video footage that suggests Skinner may have struck the SUV with his hand while trying to hail a cab. Skinner is also gay and the slaying has triggered speculation as to whether the graphic designer might have been the victim of a hate crime.
But on Sunday, such questions were momentarily cast aside as mourners focused on remembering Skinner, who friends describe as energetic, charismatic and friendly.
"If Chris extended his hand to hail a cab and accidentally hit a vehicle, he would've been walking right up there to apologize," said childhood friend Sarah, who declined to give her last name.
"If they had spent five minutes with him, they wouldn't have done anything to him. All you had to do was spend five minutes with Chris and you would've been friends for life."
Just after 8 p.m., the crowd walked south towards Adelaide and Victoria Sts., where Skinner was killed. The walk was kicked off with comments from Matt Kenny, an acquaintance of Skinner's.
"We will push light into the darkness that was the last week," he said, with a megaphone. "Monsters that hide in the dark will be found and will be defeated."
Following a moment of silence, the crowd, which included Skinner's sister, Taryn, then began walking south on Church. After snaking west on Queen St., the crowd stopped at Adelaide and Victoria Sts., where a banner was laid on the spot Skinner died.
Toronto woman Amy Grant began singing "Amazing Grace"; she is a childhood friend of Skinner's and said the song held special significance to the two of them.
Another woman continued singing an improvised version of the song, as people began to lay down their candles and disperse.
"We are gay and straight together," she sang, holding her cap to her chest. "And we are singing, we are singing for our lives."
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