Florida Tech hosts vigil after police shot 18-year-old with knife on campus

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Florida Tech hosted a vigil Tuesday night as a place for the community to come together and begin healing in the wake of a shooting. 

Many people held candles as they gathered on the Melbourne campus.  

Speakers asked those in attendance to pray for Alhaji Sow, 18, the student who was shot and killed. 

Police say on Friday they received reports that Sow had a knife and was chasing other students at a dorm hall. 

Officers say when confronted, Sow lunged at them with a knife, so they shot him. 

It’s been a tough couple of days on campus as Sow’s friends and other students struggle to process what happened. 

"The impression I had in the short time I knew him was that he was full of life. He was excited for what it would bring," said Sow’s friend, Anya Johnson.

"I feel like Florida Tech is doing everything they can to reduce the effects, especially with this candlelight vigil. I really feel for anyone that was involved," said student Kessler Cluck. 

University officials say they can’t release information about the shooting until the police investigation wraps. 

Counselors have been on campus for people who need to speak with someone.