In retrospect Sandy Hook marked the end of the US gun control debate. Once America decided killing children was bearable, it was over.
There have been 291 school shootings since 2013. Sadly there will be many many more in the future as the U.S. is a country that places little or no value on a human life.
For students and teachers from preschools to colleges and universities, school shootings have become a part of American life. The tragedy is just the latest in a series of hundreds of events over the last five years.
The attack Wednesday February 14, 2018 on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, marks the 17th shooting on school grounds within the first 45 days of the year, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun control advocacy organization.
Seventeen people were slain and 14 people were hospitalized, authorities said. The suspect, 19-year-old former student Nikolas Cruz, was booked on 17 counts of premeditated murder Thursday, The Associated Press reported.
When a gunman killed 20 first graders and six adults with an assault rifle at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, it rattled Newtown, Conn., and reverberated across the world. Since then, there have been at least 239 school shootings nationwide. In those episodes, 438 people were shot, 138 of whom were killed.
The victims are always quickly forgotten, meaningless scripted messages of "prayers and thoughts' issued by the full of shit politicians, but nothing is ever done to actually address these massacres of students in our schools.
The rest of America wrings their hands, sighs with "grief'. silently believing that it is always "someones elses children", and crawls back into their bubbles of denial.
The victims and families of the Douglas High School killings never expected themselves to be "someone else's children" but in a nano second their lives were snuffed out and families experienced a parents worst nightmare that will never end.
The victims have names, faces, dreams, lives that are over forever. They will never be parents, never become old, never feel the fresh air of life ever again. In memory of these 17 victims, below are who they were and that they are human beings who are innocent victims of a country that places guns over lives, and a deranged shooter who doesn't deserve to be alive.
Alyssa Alhadeff, 14
Alyssa Alhadeff was an avid soccer player at the Parkland Soccer Club. In a Facebook post, the club shared a note from her family that reads, “To Alyssa’s Friends honor Alyssa by doing something fabulous in your life. Don’t ever give up and inspire for greatness. Live for Alyssa! Be her voice and breathe for her. Alyssa loved you all forever!”
Martin Duque, 14
Martin Duque was a freshman at Stoneman Douglas when he was killed during the shooting on Wednesday. His brother Miguel confirmed his death on Instagram, and wrote on the family’s GoFundMe page, “He was a very funny kid, outgoing and sometimes really quiet. He was sweet and caring and loved by all his family. Most of all he was my baby brother.”
Nicholas Dworet, 17
Swimmer Nicholas Dworet, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, had just recently accepted an academic scholarship at the University of Indianapolis and committed to join its swim team in the fall, before he was killed during the massacre, the Indianapolis Star reports.
Jamie Guttenberg, 14
In a Facebook post, Fred Guttenberg confirmed that his daughter Jamie had been killed during the shooting. His son, Jesse, survived the massacre. “My heart is broken,” he wrote in the post. Her cousin also wrote on Facebook that Jamie had been the most “beautiful, kind-hearted, driven, funny and sweet girl.
Luke Hoyer, 15
Luke Hoyer’s grandparents confirmed to WYFF that he was killed during the massacre. “He was a good kid. He was never got in trouble. He was the last of my daughter’s children who still lived at home,” his grandmother Janice Stroud said.
Cara Loughran,14
Cara Loughran was named as a victim in probable cause documents, and her family’s neighbor Danny Vogel confirmed her death on Facebook. “RIP Cara, and fly with the angels. You will be greatly missed, and we will always love you and celebrate your beautiful life,” Vogel wrote.
Gina Montalto, 14
Gina Montalto, 14, was a member of the school band’s winter guard dance team. She had been scheduled to compete in a winter guard tournament this upcoming weekend. Her school band confirmed Gina’s death in aFacebook statement. Gina’s former teacher told the Miami Herald, “She was the sweetest soul ever. She was kind, caring always smiling and wanting to help.”
Joaquin Oliver, 17
According to CNN, Joaquin Oliver was named as a victim in probable cause documents released on Thursday. Joaquin had moved to the U.S. from Venezuela at the age of 3, and had become a U.S. citizen in January 2017. His girlfriend, Victoria González, confirmed to the Herald that he was killed.
Alaina Petty, 14
Freshman Alaina Petty’s church leader confirmed that she was killed during the massacre in an email sent out to members of the Mormon church community. Her aunt also reportedly confirmed Alaina’s death in a Facebook post, writing, “There are no hashtags for moments like this, only sadness.”
Meadow Pollack, 18
Meadow Pollack was a senior at the school and planning to attend Lynn University in Boca Raton next year, her father told the New York Times, confirming her death. She worked at her boyfriend’s family’s motorcycle repair business, and has been described as smart, caring, and beautiful. “She was just unbelievable,” Pollack told the Times. “She was a very strong-willed young girl who had everything going for her".
Helena Ramsey, 17
Student Helena Ramsey was killed during the massacre, officials confirmed on Thursday. A member of her family wrote on Facebook, “Helena was a smart, kind hearted, and thoughtful person. She was deeply loved and loved others even more so. Though she was some what reserved, she had a relentless motivation towards her academic studies, and her soft warm demeanor brought the best out in all who knew her.”
Alex Schachter, 14
Alex Schachter was a freshman at the school and a member of its marching band. According to the New York Times, he also loved to play basketball. His father, Max, told the Times that he was a “sweetheart of a kid,” and that Alex’s mother had died when he was only 5 years old. His older brother also attends the school and survived the massacre.
Carmen Schentrup, 16
Carmen Schentrup was a 2018 National Merit Scholar semifinalist. Her cousin Matt Brandow confirmed her death on Facebook, writing that she had wanted to go to the University of Washington. “Rest In Peace Carmen, you were the smartest and most intelligible 16 year old I’ve ever met! You will be remembered forever,” he wrote.
Peter Wang, 15
Student Peter Wang was killed during the massacre, his cousin Aaron Chen confirmed to First Coast News. He was last seen holding a door open so that others could escape the shooter, his cousin told the Miami Herald. His name was released as a victim in probable cause documents.
