PARKLAND, Fla. — Survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, took to social media to express outrage and heartbreak in the aftermath of the Friday school shooting in Texas, where authorities say a gunman opened fire, killing 10 people.
The shooting at Santa Fe High School marks the deadliest school shooting since a former student allegedly killed 17 at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in a Valentine’s Day massacre that mobilized thousands for gun reform rallies across the country.
“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,” Parkland student Jaclyn Corin said in a tweet.
She also directed her frustration at 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, who was also part of a grassroots movement with Corin who started #NeverAgain, warned that politicians would soon descend on the Texas school acting like they care but are only looking to boost approval ratings.
Cameron Kasky echoed those warnings on Twitter: “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.”
Most of those killed Friday when at least one gunman opened fire at a Houston-area high school Friday were students, authorities said.
Monday marked the three-month anniversary since authorities say a former student opened fire at the Parkland, Florida, school. The shooting fueled 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,” tweeted Emma Gonzalez, who has been one of the leading voices calling for stricter gun laws since the Parkland shooting.
March For Our Lives released a statement urging Americans not to sweep the latest shooting under the rug. The group said some of the 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.”
Douglas student Kayla Renert travelled to Washington for the massive gun reform rally in March.
“On the bus in D.C., 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 sophomore.
Delaney Tarr tweeted she “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.”