I wanted to put my words out as best as i can right now. As we know, there was a mass shooting at my school, Michigan State University. the night started off as every other Monday does for me. My co-workers and I were finishing up our weekly UAB meeting on the ground floor of the MSU Union when one of my co-workers told us that we needed to get down. The doors were locked, lights went out, and all I could see was the flashing police lights outside the window. I held hands with a girl I have barely spoken to. She kept telling me “youre going to be okay, you’re going to be okay”. I franticly texted my parents typing I love them. I heard running upstairs. The police found us and we ran out of the union as the shooter was on the floor above us. We ran to a nearby residence hall and hid in a dark room with a singular window. All of my friends looked like deer in headlights. There were multiple moments I thought I was going to die and that my friends across campus were going to die. This feeling lasted for 4 hours.
I am angry, frustrated, depressed, guilty, anxious, and overwhelmed at what is going to happen next. I keep replaying the night over and over again my head. How am I supposed to go back to campus in the same way? I spend so much time in the union. I have so many good memories at the union, but how are we supposed to go back to normal? I have met amazing people at UAB and now we are even closer through this horrific experience. They made MSU my home away from home. I have so much love for these people, we DID NOT deserve this.
I’m so grateful that everyone I know is safe and with loved ones. But 3 students will never be able to do what I am doing. They will never be able to go to class, go to club meetings, get their degree and live their lives. 5 students are fighting for their lives right now. WE NEED CHANGE AND ACTION. We need gun control in this country. Guns are the number one killer of young people in the US, yet lawmakers and politicians are still are making it easier for adults to carry a gun??
Even if I don’t know you, we are all going through the same thing together and I care about you. If you feel comfortable, share your story. We need people to see that this is not okay. how many more until real change happens?