Minneapolis hosts national remembrance of Matthew Shepard

Ten years ago, more than 1,100 people gathered in Minneapolis’ Loring Park for a candlelight vigil to mark the death of Matthew Shepard, who died Oct. 12, 1998, from injuries sustained from a brutal attack by two young men whose goal was to beat and rob a gay person.

Now people will gather again in Loring Park at 6:30 pm Monday evening for a candlelight vigil to observe the 10th anniversary of Shepard’s death, and to draw attention to the fact that in those 10 years, Congress has failed to pass the hate crime legislation that bears his name. Shepard’s mother chose Minneapolis as the site of the vigil.