Gun violence in America is a problem. We must find a way to protect schools and the public from this issue.  According to Pew Research, in 2020 approximately 45,222 people died by use of a firearm. Just last week there were two shootings in Omaha, Neb., in the span of two days. One at a local Target and a storage unit. 

For many years schools have always done lockdown and lockout drills as a way to prepare students for the worse. You would think with these practice drills schools would know how to properly protect themselves and their students but there is not much you can do when faced with this real issue. There have been more and more shootings every day and we need to find a solution to keep not only ourselves but our community safe. 

On May 24, 2022, the Robb Elementary school shooting happened in Uvalde, Texas. Twenty-one people in total were killed, including 19 students, and two teachers. This horrible tragedy could’ve been prevented if we had a better way to protect ourselves. According to officials, law enforcement failed Uvalde that day.

With 376 officers responding to the scene that day all of them waited one hour and 14 minutes to respond to the gunman. Texas Tribune states, no one was able to stop the gunman from carrying out the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, in part because of “systemic failures and egregious poor decision making” by nearly everyone involved. The police failed Uvalde citizens and quickly got faced with criticism from the public as they could’ve found a faster way to stop the gunman and save many lives that were lost that day. 

No drill or evacuation can save anyone from a determined gunman which is why we need to make gun laws stricter. From Pew Research, about 30% of adults in the United States said they are in a house with a gun or own one. Having a gun in the house that is unsafely stored can be dangerous and could put the lives of others at risk. According to the New York Times, a 6-year-old just committed a school shooting on January 9, 2023. There is no reason why a six-year-old should be able to get ahold of a gun and improperly use it. 

The 6-year-old at a teacher, wounding her and it was clear the shooting was intentional. He brought the gun from home which was legally purchased by the boy’s mother but was not stored properly to where the boy couldn’t get ahold of it. To own a gun I believe you absolutely need to have a safe storage area to contain it. With a safer storage not only would there be no risk of any harm done but also fewer accidents like this happening. 

To stop shootings in schools and other areas we need to have the same laws in all states. The law should be you need a permit to carry a concealed handgun, no guns bigger than a handgun should be legal, and always running a thorough background check on the person purchasing this item. 

To keep schools safer we should be going through drills quite frequently and preparing students how to defend themselves if law enforcement cannot. We need to teach students to always be prepared for the worst because of how often these instances happen. You never know when things like this could occur.

 Gunmen who become a threat to the public are typically not in the right mindset. They may have issues at home, and maybe depressed or angry. Nobody knows why people do the things they do. ACA Knowledge center suggests that 87% of school shootings have been triggered because the gunman was a victim of bullying. To reduce the amount of shootings schools should reach out to students and check in with them. This could comfort students who need help and wanna talk to someone but are too afraid to reach out. 

All in all, there are shootings and gun violence happening every day that needs to come to an end. Finding ways to reduce the amount of gun violence going on not only at school but in everyday life. That is why we need to practice better drills, make gun laws stricter along with concealing them properly, and giving students opportunities to reach out. Nobody wants to come to school every day in fear. It’s upsetting and no one should have to deal with the consequences of a school shooting.