On April 30, a student at UNC Charlotte shot several people in a campus classroom. The shooting left two people dead and four injured. This scenario has sparked fear in many North Carolinians, as it is one of the only shootings that has happened in the area.
Students and parents were concerned for the well being and safety of family and friends that attend or will attend the school. The UNC Charlotte shooting has been added to the long list of shootings from the past five years in the United States.
With at least 90 school shootings in the US on record since 2015, gun control has continues to be a controversial topic. Many believe that the only way to prevent school shootings is to make it harder for any person to get a gun. Despite opposing views, it is a fact that people who should never had access to a gun take many innocent lives.
The levels of severity that the shootings fall on are all different, but many end with at least one person injured. Here is a recap on some of America’s most well known and deadliest shootings:
On April 16, 2007, Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and injured at least 18 with a pistol at Virginia Tech. He killed himself with the same gun on site later that day. He got the gun from an out of state dealer online; there was no background check.
On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza killed 20 children and 6 adults with a rifle at Sandy Hook Elementary School. He killed himself right after. He bought the gun from a retail store that gave him the gun without question.
At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people and injured 17 others with an AR-15 rifle on February 14, 2018. Police took him into custody and charged with 17 counts of murder. He purchased the firearm legally.
On April 20, 1999 Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris killed 13 people at Columbine High School. They killed themselves after their attack. They purchased their guns legally from a local supplier.
On May 18, 2018, Dimitrios Pagourtzis killed 10 people and injured 13 others at Santa Fe High School. He was arrested and charged with murder. He purchased the gun illegally because he was underage.
At Umpqua Community College, Chris Harper-Mercer shot 9 people and injured 8 others on October 1, 2015. He killed himself after getting wounded on site. He got many guns over the years legally.
On March 21, 2005, Jeffrey Weise killed 10 people including himself. At the time, it was the deadliest shooting since Columbine. He purchased his gun illegally.
On April 2, 2012, One L. Goh shot and killed seven people and wounded three others at Oikos University. He was taken into custody later that day. He purchased the gun legally
Charles C. Roberts killed 5 people and injured 6 others on October 2, 2006 at West Nickel Mines Amish School. He killed himself when the police showed up at the school. He purchased the gun legally.
On February 14, 2008, Steven Kazmierczak killed five people at Northern Illinois University. He took his life just after. He purchased the gun legally.
On June 7, 2013, John Zawahri killed 5 people and injured 4 others at Santa Monica College. He was killed by the police officers who rushed to the scene. He purchased the gun legally.
Jaylen Fryberg killed 4 people and injured 3 others on October 24, 2014 at Marysville Pilchuck High School. He killed himself right after. He purchased the gun illegally
All of these shootings are the deadliest that America’s schools have experienced. Although there are many others, these are the shootings with the most fatalities and injuries.
UNC Charlotte is added to the list, resulting in two deaths and four injuries. Trystan Terrell, a former student at UNC Charlotte, is the man responsible for the shooting.
According to CNN, “Terrell is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, and one count each of possession of a firearm on educational property and discharging a firearm on educational property.” He is being held in custody without bail.
The two victims of the shooting are Riley Howell, 21, and Reed Parlier, 19. It is believed that Riley Howell tackled the shooter in order to save other students. Many are mourning the death of the two students.
Students gathered together in the UNC Charlotte courtyard with candles in order to celebrate their fallen peers lives. The support between one another and the strength the students have is like nothing UNC Charlotte has ever seen.
Facing the saddest day in UNC Charlotte history, it will be a matter of time before students, staff, and parents can move on. The concern for students safety is at an all time high.
Hi! My name is Lyric and I am a senior editor and the website editor for The Mycenaean. I am also Vice President of Quill and Scroll Society, Makeup Crew Head, and a member of National English Honor Society.