We are already in the month of March and there have been eight school shootings in 2018.

Could you imagine trying to learn while consistently quivering hoping a man or woman doesn’t walk through your classroom aiming for anyone they see with a gun? I can’t either.

January 20 Winston Salem, North Carolina: A Winston-Salem State University football player was shot to death at a campus party. January 22 Italy, Texas: A 15-year-old student was wounded in a shooting at a high school. January 23 Benton, Kentucky: A 15-year-old student shot 16 people. January 31 Philadelphia: A fight led to a shooting in the parking lot of Lincoln High School. February 1 Los Angeles A 15-year-old boy was shot in the head and a 15-year-old girl shot in the wrist. February 5 Oxon Hill, Maryland: A high school student was shot in the parking lot of Oxon Hill High. February 9 Nashville: a high school student was shot 5 times in a parking lot. February 14 Valentine’s Day in Parkland, Florida: a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, 19 year old Nikolas Cruz, murdered 17 fellow students and teachers, fled the scene and was later arrested by police.

As far as the most lethal and notorious of these shooters, Cruz, many friends, family, neighbors and teachers had expressed concerns about Cruz’s mental health. Cruz was the subject of dozens of 911 calls and at least two seperate tips to the FBI. Cruz was videotaped by his neighbor “practice shooting” in his backyard before the shooting. Additionally, a Mississippi bail bondsman stated that someone left a disturbing message on his YouTube video stating that, “I’m going to be a professional school shooter.”

On the Valentine’s Day, as Cruz shot his way through the school, where were the school’s armed security guards? One armed guard, Scott Peterson, never went into the building during the attack, according to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel.

Could some of the 17 victims who perished have been saved? Could their destiny have been reversed if the FBI visited Cruz?
Our generation must prevent future school shootings – since older generations and our leaders can’t do it. In honor of the 17 lives taken away Feb 14, on March 14 nationwide there will be school walkout at 10 am for 17 minutes in support of gun control.

And we heard President Trump say he would have run into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High unarmed and taken on the shooter. But we don’t need his bravado. We need him to take concrete steps to stop the carnage and keep students across America safe