On a Wednesday afternoon, 19-year-old
walked into his former high school with a semi-automatic rifle and opened fire. Hundreds of students fled into the street, while others barricaded themselves in classrooms and closets, hiding from the killer. They didn't dare speak out loud, so they sent text messages on their phones, letting their families know what was happening.
Now that the massacre is over - with 17 dead, 14 wounded, and the shooter in custody - some students and parents have shared these heartbreaking text messages. For many children, they thought they were typing their last words.
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This student told his parent, "If I don’t make it I love you and I appreciated everything you did for me."
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This 14-year-old son told his father not to come to the school because "you might get hurt." Plus he was already safe, with the school in lockdown. The father advised his son to "stay hidden and play dead with an active shooter."
Sophomore James Harrison texted his stepfather, "I love you. I'm really scared. Don't call me. I cannot talk...I have to be silent." (He was worried a phone ring or buzz would get the shooter's attention.) In an interview with Fox News, Harrison said, "I contacted my stepfather, my mother, and both of my brothers to try and see what they could do and try to get them to call the police to see what’s going on."
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Kaitlin shared these chilling messages from her sister. She writes, "i am not joking they just shot through the walls someone in my class is injured...kaitlin i am so scared. tell [mom and dad] i love them so much."
This father suggested his child "make a blockade with the tables" or "go into a closet" to hide. "U will be ok," wrote the father. "Just pray." "I'm praying," his child replied.
In this string of unanswered texts, a student narrates the entire massacre. Judging from the "Just landed" reply, the parent must have been on airplane. What timing!
After texting his parents, this student texted his 10-year-old sister. He told her there was a shooting at school, but "Don't be scared" because he's hiding. She wrote back, "Noooo. Dad is crying." "I love you," replied the student. "Tell him everything is okay for now."
These text messages give us a glimpse into a nightmarish situation that hopefully few of us will ever experience. They also remind us that while we often use our cell phones for frivolous things, they provide a vital means of communication during an emergency. If this
had happened decades ago, none of these students would have been able to contact their families, to send information or their love.
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