Candlelight Vigil for Violent Crime Victims
- Candlelight vigil to honor Riverside County residents killed by acts of violence. - Held during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, Apr 20–25, 2026. - Riverside location and time announced by organizers—see the schedule at mynewsla.com.
Riverside will hold a candlelight vigil Wednesday night for county residents killed in acts of violence. (riversideca.gov) The vigil is scheduled for 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on April 23 in front of the Riverside Historic Courthouse at 4050 Main St., according to the city calendar and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. (riversideca.gov) Organizers said speakers will read the names of people from Riverside County who were killed by crime, including victims from recent years and earlier cases. A second vigil was set for April 21 at Palm Desert Civic Center Park, also at 7 p.m. (riversideca.gov) (rivcodistrict2.org) The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office has held the memorial observance annually since 2004, according to local coverage and the office’s event listings. This year’s county events are grouped under its Victims’ Rights Week program. (mynewsla.com) (rivcoda.org) The vigil falls during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime says runs from April 19 to April 25, 2026. The federal office says the week is used to honor victims and survivors and to highlight victims’ rights and services. (ovc.ojp.gov) National Crime Victims’ Rights Week dates to 1981, when President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims Rights Week. The National Center for Victims of Crime says the 2026 observance marks the 45th year of the annual commemoration. (reaganlibrary.gov) (victimsofcrime.org) Riverside’s program includes more than the vigil itself. The District Attorney’s Office said a Memorial Wall unveiling at its Victims Memorial Courtyard will follow the Riverside ceremony, and the fifth annual Healing Hearts Exhibit is on display in the office’s Riverside media room. (rivcoda.org) The public can attend the Riverside vigil without registration, and organizers list the District Attorney’s Office as the contact for questions. By Wednesday night, the courthouse steps will again be used to read names aloud and mark another year of remembrance. (riversideca.gov)
