Here in Cincinnati, where you went to high school is a big factor on who you are and what people think of you. With so many different schools, public and private, throughout Greater Cincinnati, all the stereotypes arise but you learn to love and embrace your high school. You definitely take pride in being a(n)...[insert your school mascot here].
On April 29, 2013, (three years ago from last Friday) however, things changed a little bit. I remember this day more than most days. My high school had close ties with a school a few minutes down the road, La Salle High School, an all-boys private school, and at about 9:30 in the morning, everything changed. My principal came on the intercom to tell us there had been a shooting at La Salle. We all were very confused and frightened, we all had various friends and family members who went there and we did not know anything for a good amount of time. Our teachers let us have our phones out and we all actively were watching the news on our laptops, trying to find out as much as possible. I even tried texting a few of my friends and family to figure things out, but the boys at La Salle were supposed to always leave their phones in their lockers, and most of my friends did not have their phones. The school was also put on lockdown immediately after the shooting occurred. But finally some information was given.
When a school shooting is announced, most people automatically believe that an intruder comes in and violently shoots at various individuals. La Salle's shooting was a self-inflicted shooting, an attempted suicide, that took place in an honors leadership class. When more information was given out, La Salle was taken out of lockdown and parents were told to go pick up their sons. The pictures on the news showed boys walking out with their arms around their parents. I could not imagine what it would have felt like being at La Salle that day, and my heart go out to everyone who was.
The news was covering the shooting all evening. They received various 911 calls and the terror could be heard in those boys' voices. It became public that the student shot himself with a .45-caliber, semi-automatic handgun. The student was a well-known, well-liked honors student who was very involved in different organizations and had a good amount of community service hours. The student was 17 years old at the time and had been in class with his fellow Lancers for 3 years at that point. But no one knew what to do, the boy was seated in the front of the room, and was struggling to use the gun. The teacher inside of the classroom gave various accounts that were made public about what went on in the classroom, and that about 22 other students were there to watch the scene unfold. The students had told investigators that it happened very quickly and did not realize what was going on until it was too late.
The school day was over, and most of my friends went to go see their friends and family that were at La Salle that day, as did I. We did not know much of what we could do except be there for each other. The boy was in critical condition for what seemed like weeks at the time. His condition today and identity were never released to the public*. He was fighting for his life, and prayers were sent from various high schools, including my own. Different high schools sent banners and pictures, wearing red and all using the Lancer "L."
That day we all became Lancers and were there for those boys the following days, and made it clear we were there for them whenever they needed us. We knew, no matter the rivalries or stereotypes of every high school, everyone was there for each other. You hugged your friends and family that day, and reminded everyone how much they meant to you. The tragic event brought the community together and made us all appreciate one another.
*In respect for the family, I will not be giving out any further information than what was displayed on various news broadcasts.
