BILLINGS— The Billings community is speaking up after the past week of gun violence in the United States.
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in Orem, Utah Wednesday in front of an audience of about 3,000 people.
Related: Who was Charlie Kirk? What we know about the conservative political influencer
Watch to see how Billings community members reacted to the week's news:
On the same day, 475 miles away, in Evergreen, Colorado, a shooter injured two students at Evergreen High School and shot and killed himself.
Related: Suspect dead, 2 students injured after shooting at Colorado high school
“That is just completely, totally heartbreaking, of course, to think of one more school shooting,” said Billings resident Janice Roberts.
At downtown Billings nonprofit Global Village, two volunteers spoke on how the news affected them.
“(I felt) sadness, that our country has come to this place where we're unsafe in doing peaceful things,” said volunteer Betty Nesmith.
“It really makes you sit back and think, is this the direction we want to go? It isn't,” added Nancy Curriden, who volunteers with Nesmith.
There is a hope, amid the violence, that people will listen to each other and look beyond differences as the country processes these events.
“I think we all need to take a breath, as the Governor of Utah said. Take a breath. Take a walk. Have a picnic. Talk to your family. Learn civil discourse again. Learn how to talk to one another,” said Curriden.
“People need to measure their words, and especially people in the political arena, but anywhere. Remember that we're all on this planet, in this country, working hard to live a decent life,” added Roberts.
