On Wednesday, February 14, 2018, we had yet another school shooting in the United States. Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in South Florida were gunned down by a former student, Nikolas Cruz. As of Thursday, February 15, 2018, 17 people have died. Those innocent lives went to school to learn. Those parents did not expect to pick up their children at the morgue. This has become an epidemic, and there is no solution in sight. There has become a pattern in school shootings; most involve an AR-15. The shooter had premeditated the attack, even writing on social media when he obtained the weapon.

This is not the first school shooting this year. There have been 18 school shootings in the first 45 days of 2018. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, there were three shootings in Texas, two in California, and two in Michigan. There are 10 other states that had at least one shooting. Of the 18 school shootings, eight resulted in no injuries.

These statistics offer no solace to the families affected by these horrific acts of violence. Students who spoke to the press following the Florida shooting said they were not surprised that Cruz was the shooter. Many claimed that he was a violent student who had a fascination with guns.

The Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999, in Colorado took the lives of 13 and wounded more than 20. The shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold planned the attack. The Virginia Tech Shooting on April 16, 2007, took the lives of 32 people. The Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut. Adam Landa took the lives of 20 children and 6 adults.

The United States has become accustomed to mass shootings, as they happen at least once a month.

Politicians call for reform and citizens petition for change. But, there has not been a federal gun reform law introduced following any of the mass shootings. Many of the politicians who give their condolences and promise change have been paid millions by the NRA.

There is no reason that parents should worry that when they send their children to school, that they may die. There is no reason that people have to fear being shot in a movie theatre or church.

There is no reason that students are taught the protocol if an active shooter attacks their school. Cruz was born after Columbine when many safety protocols were implemented in schools. He was taught the measures and used said measures to lure out more students to kill. He pulled the fire alarm because he knew that students would barricade themselves in the classrooms.