Less than two months into 2018, there have already been 18 shootings at schools in the US. The latest incident happened in Parkland, Florida, where an unidentified man opened fire at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.
The shooter killed 17 people before being apprehended by authorities.
Terrified students recorded the scene on their phones.
Parents sick with worry awaited to hear from their children. Law enforcement officials lamented the tragedy.
The president weighed in.
This cycle of grief has become a familiar one in the US, through multiple presidents’ tenures. While the number of school shootings has ebbed and flowed over the past five years, it has consistently remained in the dozens.
Between 2013 and 2015, 59 people were killed in shooting incidents at schools or colleges, according to the latest analysis from the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, a group that tracks gun violence. Another 124 were injured.
This story was updated on Feb. 20 to reflect the final death toll of the Parkland attack.