SAN ANTONIO – At least two candlelight and prayer vigils will be held around the city Tuesday evening for the victims of the San Antonio migrant tragedy.
The death toll currently stands at 51 after several more victims died after being transported to local hospitals.
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A candlelight vigil is scheduled to take place starting at 7 p.m. at Pearsall Park, located at 4838 Old Pearsall Road, just inside Loop 410. Attendees can expect to gather near the children’s playground area.
“This community space will offer residents the opportunity to grieve, share support, and express sorrow in reaction to this tragedy,” according to event organizers.
Last Chance Ministries is hosting a prayer vigil at 6:30 p.m. The vigil will take place at 404 Brady Boulevard, located near Hwy 90 and S. Zarzamora Street.
“Join us tonight as we come together to pray for the families that were lost,” Last Chance Ministries officials said in a Facebook post.
The vigils come just one day after a tractor-trailer full of migrants was discovered on the Southwest Side of San Antonio.
City officials are calling it the largest mass casualty event in San Antonio’s history and the deadliest migrant smuggling incident in the U.S.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said officers responded to a call for help at the 9600 block of Quintana Road after someone heard cries coming from inside the trailer. A man working in the area approached the trailer, which had its doors partially opened, and discovered “stacks of bodies.”
During a press conference on Monday, San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said the bodies of the victims were hot to the touch and revealed that first responders rescued 12 adults and four minors from the trailer and rushed them to local hospitals with heat-related injuries. Two of those patients have since died.