Black Student Alliance (BSA) organized students and painted The Rock on Thursday afternoon to express sorrow over the shooting that happened in Charleston, S.C.
On Wednesday night, a white male shot and killed nine people inside a historic African-American church in Charleston, according to CNN news.
Dylann Roof, the suspect in custody for the slayings, is reported by CNN to have recently admitted to the act and that is was an act of racially-motivated violence.
After hearing about the incident, students were shaken and disappointed.
MSU sophomore Dinah George said these slayings are indicative of a larger problem within American society.
"People don’t seem to realize these deaths, they are the symptoms to a bigger problem in America," George said.
BSA vice president Kelsi Horn said that racism has been ingrained into the sociological structures of American society.
"I think throughout the (years), racism has been so institutionalized," Horn said.
Lucas Hicks, a neuroscience junior who gathered with BSA students at The Rock yesterday, said now is a time to come together.
"It’s important that members of black (community) as well as (those) outside of the community can start coming together," he said. "I guess it's just important to stay unified and stay positive."
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