On March 13, 2024, Taft received a shooting threat on Instagram after the first period. Students were given murky instructions to stay in classrooms, and then to go to their homeroom. Most students decided to leave school early. Students spotted parents and guardians waiting in a long line to pick up their students. The authorities later deemed the threat was not credible and that the student who posted the threat did not attend Taft.
Gun violence, especially in schools, has been an issue for quite some time. Last year, 346 shootings in schools took place across the country. California and Ohio experienced the most number of shootings last year with 25 incidents. In the past year, the rate of gun violence, especially in schools has drastically increased. The number of victims of school shootings went from an average of 60 a year to approximately 100 victims in 2023 (US News).
The rise of gun violence in California could be due to the fact that once you turn 21 in California, you can legally possess a rifle or shotgun. According to Pen. Code, §§ 29610, 29615, any minor over the age of 16 in California can possess a firearm if they have parental consent and are involved in recreational sports like hunting, ranching, etc. In addition to that, to be eligible to possess firearms, they must have a valid Firearm Safety Certificate.
Although precautionary methods are taken (background checks, criminal records etc..), the number of lives taken due to firearms is only increasing. It is fairly easy to be qualified to possess a gun. Clearly, the precautionary methods aren’t proving to be effective since around 85% of shootings are committed by students 18 or younger. Adolescents are well known for their inability to make educated decisions, which is the cause for many shootings.
Aside from school shootings, over 42,000 people were victims of death by firearms in the past year (NIHCM).
The rise in shootings could be because of the amount of troubled teens in this generation. Reports from the National Institute of Justice show that suicidal thoughts/actions are a sign seen in 92% of K-12 student shooters. 48% of shooters confided about their plans with friends or family and were not stopped. Additionally, childhood trauma contributes to 31% of mass shooters. A study showed that more than two-thirds of children are subject to physical, physiological or sexual trauma before the age of 16.
Childhood trauma causes students to release their anger in unhealthy ways. Some students resort to violence, which may result in school shootings all over the country. Considering the effects of childhood trauma and the accessibility of guns, the amount of people that are victims of gun violence only increases everyday.
