'No one is alone': Hundreds gather in Charlotte to mourn New Zealand terror attack victims

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — People across the world continue to mourn the deadly terror attack on two New Zealand Mosques last week.

Officials said 50 people have died and 34 people are still in the hospital days after the attack.

Hundreds in Charlotte gathered Sunday in First Ward Park to mourn the shooting victims.

Their message: Unity.

Organizers said the idea was that in the face of tragedy, no matter how far away, no one has to deal with it alone.

They said no matter one's religion, they wanted to celebrate the overall unity instead of the differences.

"We wanted to show the rest of the city that we are not alone. No one is alone. We can stand together because we are truly one human race," Naqash Choudhory from the Islamic Society of Greater Charlotte said. "The community is bigger than just one religion. It's not just the Muslim community that is hurt."

Channel 9's Briana Harper spoke with a local rabbi who said he wanted to share the same amount of support Sunday that was shown to the Jewish community months ago after the deadly synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh.

Rabbi Asher Knight from Temple Beth El said he was familiar with this type of hate only months after the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh.

"It doesn't matter. We are all children of God and we have the opportunity to stand in support of one another and stand up against a type of hate that divides," Knight said.

Knight said members of his Jewish congregation are now coming together to write hundreds of letters to the Muslim community.

"An attack on any of us is an attack on all of us," Rabbi Judy Schindler from Temple Beth El said.

Organizers said not only was the event Sunday about standing in solidarity, but also to build relationships in the community.

Those who attended said the hope is that strength together might help prevent future tragedies from directly reaching our community.

"People really got to hear first hand how Muslims feel, what we believe in, and to know the truth in our hearts, we do want to be here together," attendee Nora Chaui said.

Cox Media Group