Marjory Stoneman Douglas experiences school shooting

Liv Compora, Reporter

On Feb. 14, a new mass school shooting has been added to the list. A former student, Nikolas Cruz, armed with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, was dropped off by an Uber to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where he took the lives of 17 people, including students and staff members. Along with the 17 that were killed, many were wounded, including 14 that were taken to a nearby hospital.

Cruz, an expelled student from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, purchased the rifle used in the shooting at a nearby gun shop, legally. He walked into building No. 12, fired shots, and then disguised himself as one of the students fleeing the building. After leaving the school, Cruz visited the local Walmart, then Subway to purchase a drink, then to McDonalds, where he was detained by police (time.com).

Since the incident, vigils and funerals have been held for the fallen students and faculty. The site of the shooting, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was reopened to the public and students Feb. 25. Students, faculty and parents went to the Florida’s capital to speak to the lawmakers, and were shot down upon their proposal to ban assault weapons (abcnews).

The Parkland shooting has outdone countless other mass-shootings, including the San Bernardino Shooting and Columbine in terms of the number of deaths, making it the ninth most deadly mass-shooting in America (cnn.com). The 17 deaths outnumbered the 13 total deaths in the Columbine shooting that took place in Littleton, Colorado, in 1999 (voanews.com).