By Jason Benedek, Staff Writer
On May 24, 2022, nineteen students and two teachers were tragically shot and killed in a fatal school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Seventeen other innocent people at the school were also wounded.
This horrific incident is now the 214th mass shooting in America this year and the 27th to take place in a school. Since the Columbine incident in 1999, over 311,000 students in America have experienced gun violence in school. Staff and students shouldn’t have to leave for school unsure if they will be able to come home. Parents shouldn’t have to send their children to school unsure if they will ever see them again. Something needs to change.
“It’s getting ridiculous,” stated sophomore Andrew Handleman. “It seems like every week you’re seeing a new tragedy on the news. When is it going to stop?” There are several ways to possibly enact change: applying more gun regulations, improving school security, or focusing more on mental health instead of academic rigor. As of now, the answer is unknown. However, we do know that it is not going to get any better if we do not take action.
In the meantime, schools and other public buildings must look at what has happened to Robb Elementary School, take precaution to make sure that doesn’t happen to them, and mourn the losses of the innocent lives taken Although change is urgent in America, it is important that we remember the lives of all of the casualties in the Uvalde shooting. 21 families will never be able to see their loved ones ever again. Sophomore Braden Sauritch explains, “It was awful what happened in Uvalde. I just feel terrible for all of the victim’s friends and family. That honestly breaks my heart.” Reflecting on the terrible events, sophomore Aydin Masood said, “It’s crazy to think someone could do such a thing to such innocent people. For someone to do that willingly is just unimaginable. I don’t know what’s happening to people. No one deserves for anything like that to happen to them. No one.”
We mourn the losses of Makenna Lee Elrod, 10, Layla Salazar, 11, Maranda Mathis, 11 Nevaeh Bravo, 10, Jose Manuel Flores Jr., 10, Xavier Lopez, 10, Tess Marie Mata, 10, Rojelio Torres, 10, Eliahna “Ellie” Amyah Garcia, 9, Eliahna A. Torres, 10, Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10, Jackie Cazares, 9 Uziyah Garcia, Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10, Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, 10, Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10, Irma Garcia, 48, Eva Mireles, 44, Amerie Jo Garza, 10, Alexandria “Lexi” Aniyah Rubio, 10, Alithia Ramirez, 10, and all of their families. Let this be the turning point in our country as we strive for change.