Candlelight vigil held for victims of shooting in Renaissance Park

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A candlelight vigil was held on Sunday in Renaissance Park, the Raleigh community where a shootout last week left two people dead and a Raleigh police officer hospitalized in critical condition.

Dozens of community members and local residents, as well as a large group of Raleigh police officers, gathered for the vigil that paid tribute to the victims of the gunfight -- 73-year-old John Rowe and Raleigh police officer Max Gillick.

Jill Rohner, the ex-wife of Antonio Rodrigues -- who investigators said shot Rowe and Gillick -- was also in attendance.

"The Raleigh Department stands with this community, stands with Jill, and everyone else that was affected by this tragic incident," RPD Deputy Chief Rico Boyce told ABC11 after the vigil.

Gillick remains in the hospital in critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery following the shootout. Boyce said he wants the city's residents to know -- after a two-week span that also included shooting at popular North Hills restaurant Coquette -- that RPD is there for them.

"We're here to serve and protect," Boyce said. "And on Tuesday, it was highlighted that that's what we do as the Raleigh Police Department. And we support this community. We've had a rough two weeks with incidents here in our city, where our officers had to witness some horrific scenes."

Sunday's vigil also included a moment of silence and passages of scripture, as well as reflections on the impacts of domestic violence.

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