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"RUN if you are in the affected location… HIDE, if evacuation is not possible, take cover; FIGHT as a last resort." That is part of the text that other Brown students and I received on Saturday, John. It was to notify us of an active shooter on our campus who killed two students and wounded nine more. All of them students. When I got the text about the shooting, I was in my house, just four blocks away, in the middle of taking a final exam. I immediately stopped what I was doing and texted my girlfriend and other friends who were closer to the shooter. I told them to run and hide. My roommates and I then turned off the lights, barricaded our front door with furniture, huddled into the room furthest from the entrance, blocked that door, and stayed locked there for five hours. While we should have been finishing up our finals, editing papers, and beginning to pack for winter break, we were in our house, lights off, voices hushed, trying to find out if our friends were still alive. Since the shooting, I haven't been able to get a full night of sleep. I wake up thinking about what happened. In trying to process, I have been feeling sadness, grief, shock, anger, confusion, and frustration about it all. My heart breaks for all those affected by this tragedy, and the lives of the students taken and those on the road to recovery. Through it all, however, the outpour of support from the Brown University community has highlighted the resilience of not just the students but of all our community members, from professors, dining hall workers, parents, local businesses, and many others who have shown up for us. It was a terrifying experience, one that I don't wish on anyone. Gun violence is the number one killer of my generation, and for some in the Brown community, this was not their first time living through a school shooting. This is why I joined Students Demand Action. Because I know there are real solutions to our gun violence epidemic. Because we are tired of being told to run, to hide, to fight. Because I don't want to have to live through this again. We shouldn't have to fear for our lives when we're at school. We should be focused on learning, studying, passing our finals, not staying out of the crossfire. Thousands of moms, students and community members across the country are determined to end this crisis with us. Please, help us push for change that will actually keep us safe.
Thank you for being in this movement, Caleb Schultz P.S. In moments like these, the most meaningful response from our lawmakers is action to make our communities safer—not just thoughts and prayers. But instead, Republicans in Congress are pushing legislation that would gut our life-saving gun laws. John, send a letter to your lawmakers demanding they vote NO on the Concealed Carry Mandate and NO to gutting our gun safety laws.
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