GHS Students and Teachers Mourn with Florida High School Students and Staff

Once again tragedy struck a high school in America when 17 students were shot and killed during a school shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14.

This incident has been the 18th mass shooting this year.

“It’s ridiculous. We’re not even in full two months of the year and there is already almost 20 shootings,” freshman Madison Votsis said.

The alleged shooter, Nikolas Cruz,19, was expelled from Stoneman Douglas High School last year for bad behavior.

Cruz took an uber to the school that day with a backpack that was filled with numerous magazines and other dangerous weapons. He entered through an East stairwell and pulled the fire alarm, alerting the kids to exit the building.

The gun that was used to kill was an semi automatic AR-15. Cruz began shooting students he saw in the hallway, then moved his way through all three floors of the school and began shooting into classrooms.

“It’s scary. It’s really easy to get into school. All you need to know is one name and then you’re in,” freshman Kaitlyn Wilcox said.

When the Swat team arrived, they escorted students out with their hands up and into a clear zone. Cruz abandoned his weapon in a nearby stairwell and disguised himself as a student and walked amongst them as they walked out of the building. He then ran across a field West of the group that was being led out of the school.

He later then went a Walmart and purchased a drink at Subway and later went to a Mcdonalds to eat. Police eventually found Cruz and arrested him at 3:41, an hour and a half after the shooting.

He now faces 17 counts of premeditated murder. His public defense has also said that it is very clear that Cruz is suffering from many mental illnesses. Police found a number of guns hidden in Cruz’s house, along with pictures on his Instagram with him posing with the weapons.

Schools across the country are now taking lockdowns seriously. GHS has their own procedure: A.L.I.C.E, and many students here at GHS believe think that this procedure is helping us.

“I do believe they are preparing us, but then they are also teaching future school shooters how to get away with things like this,” Wilcox said.

Others are questioning our society’s actions towards tragic events like these.

“My thoughts are what as a society are we going to do to change this?” gym teacher Ryan Fiet asks.

Students were asked how could situations like these be prevented.

“Laws will help and the school should watch certain student’s behaviors and see the backgrounds,” Wilcox said.

Students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School resumed class last Wednesday, filling the school with therapy dogs and extra security on the school grounds.