2008 Woodie Awards
Women's center remembers '89 slaying
Jennifer Litchman (Practicum Writer)
Issue date: 11/6/06 Section: Features
The West Chester University Women's Center will be holding an annual memorial in remembrance of the 14 female engineering students slain in Montreal on December 6, 1989. The commemorative service will be held on Tuesday, December 5 at 12:15 p.m. in front of F.H.G. Library.
During the service, there will be a reading of a "Just for the Record" letter written by Denise Veilleux. This letter was published in Le Devoir, a major daily newspaper in Montreal on December 9, 1989 in response to the murders. The names of the 14 women killed will also be read, along with the lyrics to a song written by Judy Small, entitled "Montreal '89." This service will also give West Chester students, faculty members, administrators and members of the community the opportunity to memorialize anyone who has been a victim of gender violence.
This commemorative gathering has been taking place since December of 1990 in an effort to remember and recognize the young women who were slain solely because they chose to pursue a traditionally male dominated profession. The gathering is also in recognition of all victims and survivors of gender-based violence, one of the most common hate crimes in our society today.
The murders began when a young man, holding what appeared to be a 22-caliber rifle and clothed in hunting attire, walked into the cafeteria of the engineering building, shot and killed three women. He then entered a crowded classroom and yelled in French, "You're all a bunch of feminists!" before fatally shooting six women. Witnesses said the man divided the students by sex and sent the men out before opening fire on the women.
The gunmen went on to shoot another woman in an administration office, before searching the halls for more victims. He fatally shot four more women in the corridor of the third floor, and then continued up to the fourth and fifth floors, wounding both men and women. According to police, he then returned to the third floor and killed himself.
During the service, there will be a reading of a "Just for the Record" letter written by Denise Veilleux. This letter was published in Le Devoir, a major daily newspaper in Montreal on December 9, 1989 in response to the murders. The names of the 14 women killed will also be read, along with the lyrics to a song written by Judy Small, entitled "Montreal '89." This service will also give West Chester students, faculty members, administrators and members of the community the opportunity to memorialize anyone who has been a victim of gender violence.
This commemorative gathering has been taking place since December of 1990 in an effort to remember and recognize the young women who were slain solely because they chose to pursue a traditionally male dominated profession. The gathering is also in recognition of all victims and survivors of gender-based violence, one of the most common hate crimes in our society today.
The murders began when a young man, holding what appeared to be a 22-caliber rifle and clothed in hunting attire, walked into the cafeteria of the engineering building, shot and killed three women. He then entered a crowded classroom and yelled in French, "You're all a bunch of feminists!" before fatally shooting six women. Witnesses said the man divided the students by sex and sent the men out before opening fire on the women.
The gunmen went on to shoot another woman in an administration office, before searching the halls for more victims. He fatally shot four more women in the corridor of the third floor, and then continued up to the fourth and fifth floors, wounding both men and women. According to police, he then returned to the third floor and killed himself.
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