School Shooting Survivors Share Their Experiences at the Capitol

Survivors of an October school shooting at a St. Louis high school visited the Missouri Capitol this week to share their art and a message. Around 60 students from the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School traveled to the Capitol on Tuesday to advocate for legislation to prevent future tragedies. Specifically, the students called on legislators to pass red flag laws, which would allow a person to petition to a judge for the temporary removal of a person’s guns if they appear to be a risk to themselves or others. Days before the school shooting, the gunman’s mother had asked the police for help removing his gun, but they lacked the authority to do so. The shooter went on to take the lives of student Alexzandria Bell and teacher Jean Kuczka and injure seven others. 

Students from the school also presented an art display at the Capitol, much of it related to the school shooting. Bryanna Love, 17, said that she will carry the memories of that day forever. “You can’t hear certain noises without being taken back to that moment, hunched in the corner of your classroom comforting your classmates that are crying so it doesn’t get too loud,” she said.