This Saturday draws near, and as we think back on the horrific events that happened at Littleton’s Columbine High School 25 years ago, our thoughts become melancholy.
Twelve classmates and a teacher lost their lives that day, and over twenty more people were injured. It was a day of great grief. Even though Columbine wasn’t the first instance of its sort, it sadly established a standard for further incidents of gun violence in schools, ushering in a new period of anxiety and sadness.
Such acts of violence have far-reaching effects outside of educational institutions. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, there have been over 50 shooting incidents and almost 20 fatalities on school property nationwide in 2024 alone.
More than 1,200 of these shootings have taken place since 2013, leaving over 400 people dead. Eight people have died as a result of 19 gunshots in Colorado alone, demonstrating how widespread this problem is.
Survivors and their communities are profoundly affected by the long-lasting trauma of gun violence. During a recent news conference in Washington, D.C., Kiki Leyba, a teacher at Columbine High School who experienced the horror firsthand, discussed the enduring effects. Another survivor, Kristina Hanley, talked about how she struggles with yearly anxiousness in April, when memories of the catastrophe come flooding back.
Even with the somber picture these figures depict and the lack of federal legislation addressing the problem, survivors find hope in a number of initiatives. There are signs of improvement, such as Colorado’s attempts to strengthen gun laws and the Biden administration’s new policy extending background checks for gun transactions.
Furthermore, via their activism and voting, young people who have grown up in a world tainted by mass shootings and active shooter exercises inspire hope for change.
Survivors and community members will assemble for a candlelight vigil at the state Capitol on Friday night as we unite to honor this milestone.
About 2,000 current Columbine students and employees, as well as people from all over the world, will come together on Saturday to participate in volunteer work as a way to pay tribute to the dead and to reaffirm their dedication to creating a safer future for everybody.