March to End Gun Violence in Honor of Napa Woman Killed in Mass Shooting

Days after a young woman with Napa ties was killed in a mass shooting at a bar in Southern California, people on Monday hit the ground in the North Bay for a march to end gun violence.

The so-called Heroes March at Memorial Stadium in Napa honored Alaina Housley — one of the 12 people killed at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks late Wednesday night — as well as all others who have been impacted by gun violence.

Housley's father said his daughter wasn’t at the wrong place at the wrong time. He and his wife would have encouraged Alaina to go line dancing that night, Arik Housley said.

"She was in the right place; she was at Pepperdine. She loved it there," he said.

The pain over losing his only daughter comes in waves, he said. But one word you won’t hear coming out of Arik Housley’s mouth is regret.

"If this is the platform, we need to raise her voice, make this world a better place," he said. "If it just saves one more life, if it just stops one more shooting, it’s worth it."

Before Monday's march, hundreds of residents on Sunday lined the streets of Napa for the procession of cars carrying the body of Housley back to the area.

"I played soccer with Alaina and went to school with her my whole life, so it was just important to be a part of the family that’s here and show our respect and love," former classmate Madeline Beitz said.

Others fondly remembered the last time they got to spend time with Housley.

"A year ago, because she was also in choir," retired educator Bonnie Broxton recalled. "Just the all-American girl in every way. Friendly, lovely, good grades, over achieving in every way. And the family means so much to our community."

The procession route was also lined with a small group of young people holding signs about the epidemic of gun violence.