What happened in Boulder this past week is tragic. It’s heartbreaking, it’s scary, it’s too close to home, and it should have never happened.
The summer before sixth grade, I watched the Aurora movie theatre shooting on TV. Being only 11, I remember curling up in my mom’s bed watching until the early hours of the morning, terrified of what was unfolding on the screen before me. I didn’t understand why it was happening or how someone could do that. I cried a lot that night.
I was a freshman in high school when we got a snow day right before going on winter break. This isn’t uncommon in Colorado, but this snow day was different. The night before, police received a tip from a student who explained that two other students were planning an attack on the school. As details came out on what they planned, I was more and more grateful for the however-many inches of snow that fell for us to get that day off. Who knows what would have happened if we didn’t. Or what would have happened if the police didn’t receive that tip. We were extremely lucky. I’m forever grateful that no one was hurt that day.
I was a senior in high school when, minutes before the final bell rang, we were instructed to stay in lockdown because of a possible shooting in the area. We did homework and chatted with each other, unaware of what was happening down the street from us. Once we got the news, the room fell silent. Some, panicked and afraid, typed to their friends from STEM Academy, praying that they would hear responses. The events made me sick to my stomach, and I couldn’t believe it happened in our community.
Now, I’m a sophomore in college, living about an hour away from my hometown. Yet, this is still happening. The room falls silent, the news blares on our TV as we wait for more information, and everyone continues to worry about what will happen next. When my roommates and I first received the text and email from Boulder Police, we weren’t sure we read it correctly. Again, what happened is too close to home. It continues to feel unreal, but it is all too real for some people.
I am 20 years old. I can’t legally drink, but I’ve been within miles of two tragic shootings, and have been way too close to being in one myself. I can tell you exactly what to do in a lockdown after years of practicing through school. I shouldn’t know that. It shouldn’t happen frequently enough in our country for me, and all of my peers, to know that. Events like this are so common that they are hardly surprising anymore. But still, every time, it’s just as heartbreaking. There is no doubt that we need to see change so this never happens again.
People have different ways of coping with the events that occurred. As a community, one thing we should always remember is empathy. We don’t know what is happening in others’ lives or what they are going through. Some are coping with the tragedy in Georgia from this past week, some are struggling with the events in Boulder, and some are battling demons that we may know nothing about. Before anger or pointing blame, we need to care for those in our community and remain kind and understanding to whoever may be affected.
To anyone who has been affected by gun violence, I’m sorry. Know that there are people who care and will support you. This should never happen to anyone, and I’m sorry it happened at all. There is no doubt that we see too much gun violence in the U.S and we need to see change. Until we do, remember to keep advocating for what you believe in, check on your friends, and have empathy, always.