April 30, 2019,
It was the last day of class and it was like any other day. My 8:30 am class got cancelled and I had work earlier that day from 5 am to 8 am. While I was at work, I was watching the 20 year anniversary of the Columbine shooting. As I was watching the documentary, I was talking to a friend of mine of what we would do or how we would react if there was a shooting at our university. Little did I know what would happen later on that day...
After work, I relaxed for the most part since class was cancelled and I took advantage of this time to start on my final exam study guide for my Intro to Comm Theory class. I was extremely stressed out about that final exam and my Intro to Statistics final exam. Those two classes would be the ones to make it or break it for me on continuing on with my Communications major. Of course, you get chances but I wanted to get it all done on the first try that way I can get ahead on my other core courses and electives for both my major and minor.
I went back to my dorm to get changed out of my baggy clothes. The Wake Flocka concert was going to start at 6pm and I didn't want to risk being late for it so I decided to get ready for it early. Plus, I had to review my exam 2 with my TA Gordon right after class ended so I would already have to be rushing to the football stadium for the concert. To make my day even more busy, I had an interview with the new Dean of the College of Art and Architecture at 3pm. In order to complete this interview, I would have to step out of class for about 15 minutes or so and then go back to get more information regarding the final exam along with what else we need to know in preparation for it.
The interview went well and I was able to complete my article for Student Niner Media as I was doing the interview. After class, I quickly sent off the article to my editor and assistant editor of the News section. Due to what happened on this day, the article never got posted.
After class ended and the SI session ended, a classmate of mine along with the TA Gordon headed to Colvard so we can review the second exam and learn more tips and tricks on how to prep for the final exam. We were able to meet another graduate student in the small graduate center that they had in the building. She was super polite and I never can remember her name but she had to leave.
While we were in the middle of reviewing the exam and learning some weird tricks on how Gordon was told to prep for exams back home, he got a text from the TA that I had just met that on her way to the library, it sounded like she heard gunshots. We all looked at each other and I remember saying, "Well sometimes when those guys drive past with their cars making the popping sounds, it can kind of sound like a gunshot. I've even gotten freaked out by it. Do you think it could be that?" None of us were really sure because the school didn't even send us an alert during this time. Then, she said that they were being told to go into the library.
It was at that moment, just in case it was an actual shooting, that Gordon decided to turn off the lights and lock the door. I also made the choice to text my boyfriend to let him know that there was a possible school shooting on campus. Almost immediately, he FaceTimed me and I wasn't sure to pick it up since we were still reviewing but Gordon told me to pick it up anyways because he was probably worried and would more than likely keep calling. I picked up the phone and explained what little information we were given.
Finally, we got the email from the school. "NinerAlert: Shots have been reported in the area of Kennedy. The campus is in lockdown. Secure yourself immediately and remain there until further notice." We all immediately got up from the table and headed into a smaller room. A Communications professor was still in the building so we let him into the room too and barricaded ourselves in there. Since there was a shooter in the area, we all did our best not to talk at all. And if we did, we whispered and turned off the ringers on our phone...well except for the professor. His phone kept going off. I was still on ft with my boyfriend but I was texting him to keep him updated on what was going on and to let him know that I was okay. I was also in contact with my family at this point so my phone was constantly blowing up with messages from both my boyfriend and family. Friends were messaging me asking if I was okay. I also got a phone call from my friend Sierra but due to me being on FaceTime, I couldn't answer but I texted her letting her know I was okay and safe inside Colvard.
We were all waiting by our phones, waiting on more updates from the school and looking up if there were any news coverage on what was going on at our school. It's so hard to remember every single detail because that day was such a rush. We also got more information on what to do by the school.
"Remember:
- Run: If you are outside or feel that it is safe to do so, exit the area and move away from danger to protective cover.
- Hide: If you are in a building and/or unsure of the location of the shooter, find the nearest classroom or safe area to hide.
- Close and lock the door, close the blinds, find a spot in the room to hide away from the windows and doors, and remain quiet and calm.
- If the door does not lock, use items from the room to attempt to barricade the door or hide behind.
- DO NOT answer the door for anyone except first responders.
- Fight: This is a last resort. If you come into direct contact with the shooter, use the means at your disposal to fight and attempt to stop the individual."
I was in so much shock and had so much anxiety during all of this. I don't remember at what point it happened but my ft call ended with my boyfriend but I was still texting him. I was also texting my roommates to make sure that they were safe while all of this is going on.
It felt like forever we were in that room, waiting for it to end. Wondering if the shooter was going back and forth between the buildings in the area or if he was still in Kennedy. There were so many things circulating online and being told from one student to another that we weren't sure what to believe besides what the news was covering and the emails that we were receiving from the school.
My boss was also sending messages to me and making sure that we were all accounted for.
Not too long before it was 7pm, we got another email from the school.
"NinerAlert: Buildings being swept by law enforcement.
Law enforcement is individually sweeping buildings on campus. Be prepared to identify yourself , put your hands up and follow officer commands."
We all waited in the room waiting to be let out. It was only a little after 7pm that we were cleared out of the room. Gordon was on top of the shelf and my classmate quickly turned on and off the lights when Gordon told him that he saw police officers passing by. When I walked out of the room, we saw about 8 police officers in the room and we all identified ourselves to them and followed them out of the building.
There was a Harris Teeter that students could go to meet up with family. I wasn't sure what to do and I wanted to go back to my dorm but the rest of campus wasn't swept yet and after a phone call to my parents, it was decided that I would wait at the Harris Teeter and meet up with my sister. My sister Lindsey also called me and I could tell that she was worried sick. It took everything in me not to cry in that moment but I did. It was the scariest thing that I have experienced in my whole entire life and I never thought that I would fall victim to a school shooting.
I waited for quite a bit for my sister at the Harris Teeter. When she picked me up, we got food and went to my aunt and uncle's house. I stayed there for a couple of days. Then, I headed back to my dorm to pack everything up so I could go home to Fayetteville.
There were two lives that were taken on that day along with four students injured. My heart goes out to all of the victims' and their families. No one should have to bury their kid. No one should have to mourn their kid due to a school shooting. No parent should ever have to experience this.
More information on the shooter came out afterwards but I'm not writing this article to talk about him. I wrote to talk about the day and how I thought it would be a normal day, like it was all the other days of the semester. But that day, it wasn't normal at all. These school shootings aren't normal but they occur so often that it seems like they are.
It's the scariest and most traumatic situation that I have ever been in and it's taken quite a bit of time to get my mental state to where it's at but it'll never be the same like it was before. It's a part of my life experience now and I'm going to remember it for the rest of my life. And more than likely, it's going to affect me for the rest of my life.
When I return back to campus, I am going to start going back to therapy. Even if I'm all better by that point or feel like I'm all better, I'm still going to go see a therapist.
I'm not going to leave UNC Charlotte. It's a beautiful school and I've wanted to go there since I went on my tour. I absolutely love the school and the people there and I wouldn't trade it for a different school.
I'm going to become more involved with organizations that deal with this issue, such as March For Our Lives. The school shootings need to end. No more lives should be taken. We shouldn't go to school in fear that someone could come with a gun on-campus and start shooting.
And the sad part about all of this, is that you truly won't understand the survivor's feelings towards school shootings until you experience it yourself.
Now, I've received a lot of support from friends and family but I have also received quite a bit of negativity. As a survivor, I understand why all of the policies that March For Our Lives needs to be in place but not everybody does. And if you don't know all of the policies or are unsure of all of them, I will have them listed below at the end of the article.
Thank you to anyone that has taken the time to read this and support me throughout this situation. I appreciate all of you.
March For Our Lives Policy Agenda:
1. Fund gun violence research
2. Eliminate absurd restrictions on the ATF
3. Universal background checks
4. High-capacity magazine ban
5. Limit firing power on the streets
6. Funding for intervention programs
7. Extreme risk protection orders
8. Disarm all domestic abusers
9. Gun trafficking
10. Safe storage and mandatory theft reporting
To read more on the MFOL Policy Agenda, go to their website.
https://marchforourlives.com/policy/
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