Motorcycle ride honors the victims of the Lockheed Martin shooting

Saturday marks 14 years to the day of the deadly workplace shooting at Lockheed Martin. Over a decade later, family and friends continue to pay tribute in a special way.

“It could have easily have turned into something worse. But my mother led the community in trying to bring people together as opposed to polarizing, galvanizing the community and that’s what makes my heart feels good because I know that’s what my dad would have wanted,” Tony Dorris says.

The Reconciliation Week bike ride takes place at the Lockheed Martin facility and rides along to Forest Lawn Cemetery. From there the riders and loved ones come together and show their respects for the fallen victims.

“Reconciliation really means to reunite or bring together again and we want to bring this community back together again. We got a lot of crime and a lot of problems going on and we just want to be a beacon that we can come together as one,” Stacy Millers says.

Stacy Miller’s father, Charles J. Miller was one of the 6 victims of that tragic shooting. The bike ride serves as a reminder that this community can overcome any tragedy.

“Of course when that happened, it was unexpected. We were all hurt and in severe grief, but my father was a pastor and he had preached many sermons comforting many families and so his words that he used on others came back while he was gone to comfort us,” Dorris says.

The bike ride shows that through the most unjust of events, love and unity can shine through the darkest of times.

“When we ride together, it don’t matter what type of bike you ride or what color, race, or nationality you are, that when you come together you have a common goal and a common purpose in mind and that’s riding and having a good time,” Miller says.

Reconciliation Week continues through the rest of the week and includes: Reconciliation prayers on Sunday, free Lemonade giveaway on Monday at Dumont Plaze and followed by the Reconciliation Luncheon on Wednesday.