Social media users united behind Hadiya Pendleton tragedy

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Hadiya Pendleton’s murder in Chicago shook the nation two days ago and people across the country have banded behind the young honor student.

Social media users took to Twitter and Facebook to express their condolences to the 15-year-old’s family and to protest the state of gun violence in the country.

One Facebook user, 17-year old Eddy Nubine, took it into his own hands to spread the news of the young girl’s death on Facebook. Nubine created the Facebook page, R.I.P Hadiya Pendleton shortly after hearing of the honor student’s death yesterday.

“Our young people are getting gunned down….I decided to make this page to bring some more attention to this story and to [advocate] for stricter [gun] laws,” Nubine told theGrio in a phone interview.

Nubine is continuing to update the Facebook page by posting photos and videos of Pendleton he receives from fans or from the web. The page already has more than 10,000 likes and is continuing to increase.

“People are messaging me some great ideas on how to help the family, maybe starting some marches in her honor,” he said. “[The page is] going  really fast, in 10 hours already it has made that mark, it’s pretty amazing.”

In earlier post, Nubine writes that they are working  on creating a collage  of  different Facebook fans holding a sign that says “R.I.P Hadiya Pendleton.”

Twitter and Instagram have also been active in posting similar messages of condolences to the young girl’s family.  With the hashtag #HadiyaWorld, users posted prayers and sympathies for the “fallen angel.” Many even changed their twitter photos to that of Pendleton.

#HadiyaWorld we about to change some things in Chicago for you! Love you so much beautiful! @hi_diyaaa ❤

— #HadiyaWorld❤ (@Abreezy___) January 30, 2013

#ItsCrazyHow my best friend was just in gym with me and then a half hour later, I held her hand as she took her last breaths #hadiyaworld

— RIP My Rock (@LindaLovelacee) January 31, 2013

A picture of a sweater that reads, “Keep calm and remember Hadiya,” gained popularity yesterday, with some Twitter users vowing to buy the garment  in support for the family.

For my baby @hi_diyaaa ? #HadiyaWorld twitter.com/Thugmasterflex…

— BriGAWD(@Thugmasterflexx) January 30, 2013

One Instagram user identified as justfanni posted a photo of a detailed painting of the slain teenager with the words, “just beautiful.”

“Never in a million years did I think I would get a call that my own baby had been gunned down,” Pendleton’s mother, Cleo Cowley, said through tears from her Chicago home in an interview with NBC News.

Hadiya was the 42nd homicide victim this year in Chicago,

Follow Brittany Tom on Twitter @brittanyrtom