MILWAUKEE -- After the tragic shooting deaths of 58 innocent people in Las Vegas, memorials and vigils immediately started taking place. One local man said he wanted to be there in person.
Rizwan Ahmad is a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. In the past, members of that community have traveled to different cities following tragic events to offer support.
This was the first time Ahmad traveled for something like this and he said when he heard about what happened, he didn't hesitate to get on a plane.
"I wanted to express my condolences and just be on the ground," he said. "We're part of the American fabric and when something like this happens, we hurt just like everybody else does."
He spent two days in the city along with about 11 other members of the Muslim community. They attended vigils and stood with a sign that read "love for all, hatred for none."
"Kind of a unifying message," said Ahmad. "People would just come over, hug us and say this is exactly what we need to hear right now."
They also helped organize blood drives, with the goal of reaching 585 units of blood this week. One unit for each person either wounded or killed.
"As a human being, we all hurt when we see senseless loss of life and this was just senseless beyond any belief," he said.
Ahmad didn't have a personal connection to what happened but hoped to show that even someone as far away as Milwaukee was standing with the city of Las Vegas.
"Be there to be a shoulder to lean on," he said. "At times like this, support is what we need, everybody needs to come together and that's part of the teachings of Islam. That when your neighbor is in trouble you should go out and help him and that's why we went there."
