It's happened again. Another American community is reeling after another mass school shooting.
Events are still developing at Santa Fe High School in Texas, where on Friday, May 18, 2018, an estimated 10 people died in a mass shooting.
It is reportedly the 22nd school shooting in America in 2018 so far.
The reactions have been swift and to the point: This needs to stop.
When one Santa Fe High School student was asked if she thought a school shooting would never happen to her in her life, her blunt and painfully honest response summed up the personal and collective mood right now: "No. It's been happening everywhere. I've always felt it would eventually happen here, too."
One particularly haunting image shows Santa Fe High School students supporting the March for Our Lives rallies just 28 days before their own school would become a target.
As Rep. Ted Lieu (D-California) powerfully wrote on Twitter, "There is nothing wrong about praying for victims & first responders at the school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas. We should pray for them. But there is something very wrong if that is all you do."
That sentiment has been echoed across social media with political leaders, celebrities, activists, and more advocating for common sense action on gun violence even as they process their collective grief in real time.
As they've done since surviving their own tragedy, Parkland teens turned activists voiced their support.
Senior Sarah Chadwick put herself out there before her more than 300,000 followers, offering to connect directly with Santa Fe students:
Cameron Kasky was more direct, laying out the stakes for those still organizing for meaningful gun safety reforms.
Grieve, but don't wait for change.
The epidemic of gun violence in America is all-too-common political talking point. But since February when Parkland students added badges like "leaders" and "activists" to the label of "survivor" and thousands of teenagers like them have stepped up to lead, the push for commonsense gun legislation has never been stronger.
To support them and to join their fight to end school shootings like the one at Santa Fe High, here's what you can do right now:
- To support March for Our Lives or get involved directly, you can visit the organization's website, or text FIGHT to 50409.
- EveryTown for Gun Safety is also working to promote common sense gun safety measures in Congress and boasts more than 4 million members in its ranks. You text ACT to 644-33 to get involved or check them out here.