How Texas and Florida Responded Differently to the Santa Fe vs. Parkland Mass Shootings
In 2018, two high schools in two different states suffered catastrophic mass shootings within three months of each other. On February 14, 2018, a teen gunman murdered three faculty members and 14 students and wounded 17 other people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
While the nation was still reeling from that attack, another teenaged gunman entered Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas on May 18, 2018 and murdered two teachers and eight students, wounding 13 others.
On July 28-29, 2018, the WVPI held a two day event entitled "From Columbine to Noblesville" in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Members of both communities, including family members of children murdered in these attacks, joined us. It was at that event the WVPI rolled out its "3-3 Pledge" encouraging everyone to pledge to take three actions and tell three other people to do so to help prevent further violence in our nation's schools.
Pictured above: Rosie Stone, mother of Chris (Santa Fe) and Lori Alhadeff mother of Alyssa (Marjory Stoneman Douglas) attended the "From Columbine to Noblesville" event in July 2018.
THE RESPONSE TO THE AMERICAN TRAGEDY OF SCHOOL MASS SHOOTINGS
Unfortunately since Parkland/Santa Fe, there have been far too many more school mass shootings.
Following the May 24, 2022 catastrophic event at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas where 19 children and two teachers were shot dead and 17 others wounded by another teenaged gunman, Eyewitness News ABC-13 in Texas launched a special investigative report on how Texas and Florida responded differently to their respective 2018 attacks.
The report may be accessed here:
THE WVPI's 3-3 PLEDGE
To learn more about the WVPI's "3-3 Pledge" which aims to raise awareness that everyone can and must play a part in preventing the next preventable tragedy from ever occurring, please go here:
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