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VSU campus mourns loss of students

Posted at 7:44 PM, Apr 25, 2013
and last updated 2013-04-26 06:35:21-04

ETTRICK, Va. (WTVR) -- Grief and questions linger at Virginia State University as the campus prepares to say goodbye to two students.

One was found dead in the Appomattox River. Investigators are awaiting a positive identification on the second student.

Friends said Marvell Edmondson and Jauwan Holmes were last seen walking into the Appomattox River last weekend as part of a hazing ritual.

"I feel as though when tragedy strikes, just like a family, we're able to pull together," Britney Butler, a VSU senior, told CBS 6 News senior reporter Wayne Covil.

Across the campus on Thursday, students proudly wore orange and blue as a way to honor Edmundson and Holmes.

"They're members of our Trojan Pride family at the end of the day," said Maso Cotton, a junior at VSU. "It's really important we honor all of our lost ones. It's good to see all the campus kinda doing this together, to really see we're trying to come together as one."

Senior Dhaon Capel said the tragedy has brought the university community together.

It's sad it takes a tragedy for us to come together but now that this happened, I definitely see changes happening with in the VSU campus," Capel said.

The body of Edmundson was pulled from the Appomattox River on Monday. A second body, believed to be Jauwan Holmes, was pulled out Wednesday.

Seven VSU students were taking part in what police and survivors say was a hazing ritual to join an organization not recognized by the university.

Students will gather at Daniels Gym on Friday for a service to remember the two young men.

Chesterfield police are still searching for a fourth suspect, Charles Zollicoffer. Three others were arrested and charged with misdemeanor hazing.

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