Thousands will come together across the country to protest gun violence on the 20th anniversary of one of the most deadly school shootings of its time.
Tragedy struck nearly 20 years ago in Jonesboro, AR when two students pulled a fire alarm. The duo began to open fire as their fellow classmates and teachers attempted to safely exit the building. The school shooting was fatal for one teacher, Shannon Wright, and four students. In addition, 10 were injured during the attack. Meghan Keneally interviews Mitch Wright, husband of the late Mrs. Wright, and recounts the tragedy for ABC News:
For Mitch Wright, whose wife was the middle school teacher shot to death at the Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas, March 24, 1998, the timing of the march is not so much a coincidence as an act of God, he says.
The March date caught him off guard, Wright told ABC News, because “no one really outside our area really realizes what the 24th represents.”
“The history behind these in the last 20 years, it’s kind of like this: You get a lot of coverage, you get a lot of lawmakers who are typically really adamant about making changes, making promises, and they typically jump ship kind of quick, as soon as the NRA starts pulling their strings,” Wright, 52, said.
“The shooting in Florida really opened the floodgates a whole lot quicker than they normally do. It’s been real tough this week. You just get through it… It’s like a continuous stress ball that you don’t want anyone to ever have to feel,” he said.
Wright is “hopeful” about the new wave of activism that the Parkland students are leading, he said, adding that he’s happy about the March for Our Lives events, especially the one set to take over Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.
“If I could pick somewhere to go [on the anniversary], I would love to go and witness that. I would love to go to D.C. and see those kids march. It would be nice,” he said.
“It boils down to this: You just don’t want another family to go through this. It doesn’t matter what anniversary it is,” Wright said. “They’re still gone and it still hurts.”
Read the full story here.
The Fierberg National Law Group and School Violence Law extend sincere condolences to students and families affected by school shoootings, and support those choosing to march this Saturday. Our lawyers negotiated the historic settlements for the wrongful deaths and injured survivors of the Virginia Tech Massacre, which valued in excess of $11 Million. The settlements established a foundation in their honor that continues to advocate for safe schools and gun control, which we continue to represent.
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