Walterboro, SC (WLTX) -- Close to 100 people filled Pinckney Park in Walterboro Thursday evening for a prayer vigil.
Local pastors led the way, hoping to ease fear and speculation within their community.
The vigil follows two major events in Walterboro these last 7 days including the death of a 5th grader, and residents say they're eager for change.
"We are here because right now we have a broken, fractured, fearful community because of some traumatic events that have happened in the last week," said Zane Brown of Colleton Baptist Association of Churches and Pastor of Nova Church.
Wednesday morning, 10-year-old Raniya Wright died from injuries she suffered during a fight at school.
Then, last week, according to CBS affiliate WCSC, a man died after being shot by a Colleton County deputy. Officials say the deputy fired her gun in self defense.
"We as a body of Christ realize there's strength in numbers. So considering all the stuff going on in our community, it's important to come together in prayer because there's power in prayer," said Pastor Eric J. Campbell of Word For Life Ministries in Walterboro.
Local pastors read scriptures, and led the crowd in song. Then, residents formed small groups in the park, and continued to pray.
"Nobody sees no color. Nobody sees no height. Nobody sees no disease. Nobody sees anything. All we see right now is Christ and love," said Shawnya Mitchell of Walterboro.
"Somebody said, 'What's the purpose here?' I said, 'It's already been achieved: to bring the people together to pray. Period'," said Campbell. "Love outweighs all things. Love covers a multitude of sins, so if we can come together in love it will overpower everything else."
Residents say prayer can ignite change, and it will take the whole community to make it happen.
"This is not the end of this. We're going to be rallying, we're going to be protesting because the one thing we're going to do starting today is take our city back," said Mitchell.
An autopsy for Wright is set for Friday.