Edmonton mass shooting: Victim Cyndi Duong's funeral held today

A funeral was heldtoday for Cyndi Duong, 37, who was shot and killed in her home just after Christmas in a mass shooting that left seven adults and two children dead in Edmonton.

Phu Lam, 53, is the man responsible for the killings.

On Monday morning, Edmonton AM host John Archer spoke with Duongs pastor and longtime friend Thanh Le about his memories of the friendly and devoted hockey mom.

Le first met Duong 28 years ago when he became pastor at the Vietnamese Alliance Church in Edmonton. At the time, she was only eight or nine years old, he said, and already involved in the church.

The two later became friends and years later, he officiated at her wedding.

Le described Duong as a lovable, joyous woman who was devoted to her family, and who made friends easily.

You could be friends with her the minute you met her. She loved life, loved people, loved her church, he told Archer.

"People were shocked when they heard the news ... and also in disbelief," said Le, who said he didnt believe the news when he was first told she had died.

Many in his congregation had the same initial reaction, he said, followed by tears and prayers.

"A lot of tears I think the tears express volumes of how they felt about her."

In the weeksince her death, the congregation has paid tribute to Duong as well as the six other victims at a number of services, and also held a special family gathering on Saturday night to remember Duong and the good times shared with her.

Her husband spoke amazingly, Le said. Let God please help him to deal with the situation ...we need to pray for him and the kids and all the family as well.

Funerals are planned Tuesday for the other six victims of the killings. A vigil is also being planned to honour all of the victims on Saturday in Sir Winston Churchill Square.

• On mobile? Listen to the full interview here