Terrorism not winner police chief says at ‘Night of Remembrance’

Julie Swann-Paez stood in front of hundreds at Cal State San Bernardino’s Coussoulis Arena Friday night—speaking of the horror she experienced during a terrorist attack that killed her 14 coworkers and physically and psychologically scarred dozens of others a year ago to the day.

“I was still in surgery at this time, and would be for a few hours,” she said, as she struggled to fight back tears. “I missed the funerals of my friends. I never got to mourn them properly because I was fighting for my own life.”

The ‘Night of Remembrance’ ceremony marked the first anniversary of the tragedy at the Inland Regional Center—and brought forward memories of the victims and the support demonstrated by the community.

Swann-Paez, who didn’t recover from her wounds until a month later, took the time to speak of each victim at the remembrance. The mother of three described vivid experiences of her coworkers—people she said held the values of kindness, compassion, love and gratitude.

“We all have the responsibility to work together to repair humanity,” Swann-Paez. “It could be achieved.”

San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan— instrumental in leading local law enforcement agencies into pursuit of perpetrators Sayed Farook and Tashfeen Malik—spoke of his desire to demonstrate to the world that the city could, “rise up and be better.”

“Two evil people opened a new chapter in our lives and our city’s history,” Burguan said. “They do not get to finish that story. This is our city, our story. We will finish that chapter, and close the book. Let love win the day. Let’s show the world…that terror will not win.”

Asim Ansari of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Center condemned the actions of Farook and Malik—dismissing their Islamic radicalism as a “path of hate.”

“We must come together to combat hatred with love and unity,” Ansari expressed.  “As good men and good women let’s join together.”