Local officials issued condolences, called for solidarity and demanded action on gun control laws in response to a Feb. 14 shooting at a south Florida high school that killed at least 17 people.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a press release that she was “saddened by the tragic and senseless attack” at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.
“I am thankful to all of those who acted with courage and compassion, and I am holding all of those affected by this act of violence in my heart and prayers,” Bottoms said in the release.
The city of Atlanta said on Twitter that it sends its “deepest condolences and prayers to the students, parents, faculty and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.”
The city of Dunwoody posted on Twitter a photo of its City Hall flag lowered following an order from President Trump to fly all flags on public grounds at half-staff.
In Sandy Springs, the principal of Riverwood International Charter School called for students and staff to wear the colors of the school where the shooting took place as a show of solidarity.
What HS Principals want to join me in asking students and staff to wear maroon/burgundy and silver tomorrow (Friday) to show love to @PrincipalMSD and Stoneman Douglas. #Wearestonemandouglas
— Chuck Gardner (@charleswgardner) February 15, 2018 hide_media=true
“There’s a lot of love and compassion in our school for each other and our community, and we wanted to show some way of supporting Stoneman Douglas. Some students have asked what they can do so we began that conversation with this idea of wearing their colors of burgundy and silver,” Principal Charles Gardner said in response to questions from the Reporter.
In an email to constituents, Sandy Springs City Councilmember Andy Bauman said that “now is exactly the time” for action and to have more discussions about stronger gun safety laws and regulations, as well as issues relating to mental health and suicide, drug addiction, domestic abuse and social media awareness.
“I am just a local elected official in a temporary job. But as such, I feel it is my moral obligation to do all that I can – and we as responsible citizens must hold our elected officials and community leaders accountable to do all that they can – to stem this epidemic of violence,” he said.
Bauman said in the email that he was overwhelmed with grief and anger after the 18th school shooting this year.
“Seeing student-taken video of the shooting – and hearing the deafening sound of those AR-15 bullets being fired in rapid succession – should haunt us all,” he said.
The active-shooter drills some schools to do to prepare for possible school shootings reminded him of the nuclear bomb drills his schools did during the Cold War, he said in an email to the Reporter.
“It’s shocking and abhorrent that my wife and I – and all families – have to think of our children participating in active-shooter drills. Sad, sad commentary,” he said.
He said he connected with this shooting because a student that was killed, Alyssa Alhadeff, reportedly attended Camp Coleman, the same north Georgia his daughter once attended.
Republicans can ignore this heroic young lady and her fellow students at their own peril – these children have had enough of their friends being murdered courtesy of GOP received NRA blood money. Republicans had better start legislating meaningful gun-control laws, or else this courageous and determined children’s crusade is going to take away all y’alls guns!
“Emma Gonzalez, a student at the Parkland, Florida high school where 17
people were left dead after a mass shooting, calls out President Trump
and the NRA by name at an anti-gun rally in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.”