STATEMENT FROM MAYOR HAILA

On behalf of the Ames City Council, I want to express my deepest sympathy to the friends and families of the victims killed Thursday at Cornerstone Church. Our thoughts go out to the Iowa State University community where Eden Montang and Vivian Flores were students.

This tragic event creates unbearable sadness and confusion during already troubling times. When confronted with difficult, complex problems, we need effective solutions to combat violence. As a community and as a country, we must work together to create an environment where hurting others is never an acceptable solution. These are not times to lose hope, but to unite and move forward.

As we process the grief, shock, and horror of this event, understand the hard work is still ahead. Together, we must find a way out of the darkness because we want a safer community, a stronger city, and a better future.

John Haila has served as Ames Mayor since 2018.