Joined: 24 Sep 2013 Gender: Male Posts: 27,828 Location: Twin Peaks
09 May 2019, 10:51 am
Quote:
Students walk out of Colorado school shooting vigil, saying their trauma was being politicized
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. – Students who survived Tuesday's suburban Denver school shooting walked out of a gun-control rally Wednesday night in anger and tears over concerns the event inappropriately politicized their grief.
While primarily billed as a vigil to honor high school shooting victim Kendrick Castillo, most of the speakers at the 2,000-person rally were politicians and gun-control advocates pushing Congress to change the nation's gun laws.
After about 30 minutes, hundreds of students from the STEM School stormed out yelling "this is not for us," "political stunt" and "we are people, not a statement."
Outside, the traumatized shooting survivors thrust lighted cellphones into the air and chanted "mental health, mental health," as their hands and voices shook in the cold rain. Angry students pushed and screamed at journalists, demanding to see photos they had taken.
Interview requests made by a USA TODAY reporter were rebuffed; multiple students said they had agreed not to talk to journalists.
09 May 2019, 10:51 am
