The police was given a notice about Nikolas Cruz 39 times over a 7 year period. The FBI was tipped off twice. On February 14th, Nikolas Cruz killed 17 staff and students in Parkland, Florida while authorities were tipped off on January 5th by a woman who was worried he was able to slip into the school with the weapons he had. We, as students, are told to mention to an adult about every suspicious and unnerving activity by our peers, but if the authorities couldn’t prevent a gunman’s erratic behavior over a seven year period, how do we know if our safety is being prioritized instead of being put aside?

It baffles me that when someone speaks up about a person who has the desire to kill with disturbing social media posts, doesn’t further move an investigation on that person. The fact that we as students have to constantly be on the lookout for suspicious activity should speak more into the problems about gun control. This sparks questions and worry throughout the days of going to school. We are given safety drills, what to do and not do, and where to run. We are supposed to do as they say and not ask questions because we are supposed to trust in them.

What is wrong with asking even more questions and being more concerned for our safety? Just because public safety can be everyone’s responsibility by reporting any criminal activity they see doesn’t mean that our authorities and law enforcement should take a glance at it and not assess the issue. People would think that a student with a prolonged history of rage and brutality should be helped to solve their mental health problems. ‘See something, say something’ can be helpful, but can that information prevent chaos before it’s too late?