Survivors of a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, have taken to social media to express outrage and heartbreak after a new school shooting in Texas.
Authorities say a gunman opened fire at Santa Fe High School, killing eight to 10 people.
“My heart is so heavy for the students of Santa Fe High School. It’s an all too familiar feeling no one should have to experience.
“I am so sorry this epidemic touched your town – Parkland will stand with you now and forever,” Marjory Stoneman Douglas student Jaclyn Corin said.
My heart is so heavy for the students of Santa Fe High School. It’s an all too familiar feeling no one should have to experience. I am so sorry this epidemic touched your town – Parkland will stand with you now and forever. pic.twitter.com/ckVPxYi6qz
— Jaclyn Corin (@JaclynCorin) May 18, 2018
She also directed her frustration at US president Donald Trump, writing: “Our children are being MURDERED and you’re treating this like a game. This is the 22nd school shooting just this year. DO SOMETHING.”
Classmate David Hogg warned that politicians would soon descend on the Texas school acting as if they care but are only looking to boost approval ratings.
Cameron Kasky echoed those warnings: “Prepare to watch the NRA boast about getting higher donations. Prepare to see students rise up and be called ‘civil terrorists’ and crisis actors. Prepare for the right-wing media to attack the survivors.”
Not a single one of you should know me. Or any of my friends. But you do because we come from one of the hot school shootings of the month. Now we have another. Another community attacked that will only be further attacked by the NRA. Welcome to America, folks. This happens here.
— Cameron Kasky (@cameron_kasky) May 18, 2018
Most of those killed on Friday when at least one gunman opened fire at a Houston-area high school were students, authorities said.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said he could not be precise about the number of deaths at Santa Fe High School, which went into lockdown at about 8am.
One person was in custody and a second had been detained, he said.
Monday marked the three-month anniversary since a former student allegedly opened fire on the Parkland, Florida, school in a Valentine’s Day massacre that killed 17 people.
The shooting fuelled a massive student movement that led to gun reform legislation being passed in Florida and a national debate on stricter gun laws.
Santa Fe High, you didn’t deserve this. You deserve peace all your lives, not just after a tombstone saying that is put over you. You deserve more than Thoughts and Prayers, and after supporting us by walking out we will be there to support you by raising up your voices.
— Emma González (@Emma4Change) May 18, 2018
“Santa Fe High, you didn’t deserve this. You deserve peace all your lives, not just after a tombstone saying that is put over you. You deserve more than Thoughts and Prayers, and after supporting us by walking out we will be there to support you by raising up your voices,” tweeted Emma Gonzalez, one of the movement’s leading voices.
March For Our Lives released a statement urging Americans not to simply let this latest shooting pass without action. The group said some Parkland students had already reached out to the Texas survivors.
“This is not the price of our freedom. This is the most fatal shooting since the one at our school and tragedies like this will continue to happen unless action is taken,” the statement said.
To the students and faculty of Santa Fe High School, we are with you. #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/3DYXOhmwsP
— March For Our Lives (@AMarch4OurLives) May 18, 2018
Stoneman Douglas student Kayla Renert recalled how she traveled to Washington for the massive gun reform rally in March.
“On the bus in DC, I said we continue to say never again but it keeps happening again. This was again. We worked hard to make Douglas the last mass school shooting and unfortunately three months later there was another,” said the 15-year-old.
Delaney Tarr tweeted: “I should be celebrating my last day of high school, but instead my heart is broken to hear of the tragedy at Santa Fe. We cannot let this continue to be the norm. We cannot.”
