Content warning: this article contains mentions of gun violence and shootings.
If you have been watching the news within the past year, you probably have come to realize shootings can happen anywhere at any time. Preparing for one has become the new “normal,” which is incredibly sad. It’s getting harder to feel safe anywhere you go, and the anxiety is starting to rise among the public. In my group of friends and classmates, I know people who have been in a shooting while just doing everyday activities. I worry the day might come when I am caught in a place where a shooting occurs.
Preparation is everything. I have started looking for my exits when I enter a new space because anything can happen while I’m in a crowd or store. If I enter a crowded space, my anxiety rises. It’s harder to feel safe in a large crowd because it’s harder to get out. You always hear so many stories of people involved in these unfortunate shootings, and it happens to often be in larger crowds.
Most recently, there was a shooting in downtown Orlando during Halloween celebrations, according to WFTV. A 17-year-old shot into a crowd where two people were killed, including a UCF student, Timothy Schmidt Jr. Another UCF student was injured in the shooting but has not been named. The shooter was arrested and has two charges of second-degree murder with a firearm, with other charges expected to be coming soon, according to NBC News.
State attorney Andrew Bain announced in a press conference that charges of first-degree murder must come from a grand jury indictment, and the case is expected to be presented to the grand jury next time they convene.
Bain said in the press conference that the Orlando Police Department estimated that approximately 75,000 people were out celebrating Halloween that night in downtown Orlando.
I was invited to go out that night, and we planned to head downtown, but I couldn’t make it due to the previous arrangements with my family. My friends still went out, though, and they were only two to three blocks away from the shooting. They heard the shots go off. I can’t imagine their fear, and I’m incredibly thankful they are okay.
However, somebody lost someone they know due to this shooting. This shouldn’t be how we are supposed to live. People just wanted to go out and celebrate Halloween in a city with so many popular bars and clubs. Feeling safe in these situations is hard when you never know what to expect.
I have started to remind myself to always be aware and know what’s happening around me. I need to trust my group and never go out alone because it’s better to stick together and know where to go. Before we go out, my friends and I will orchestrate a game plan if something dangerous happens. Unfortunately, this is what our lives have come to, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Our lives depend on it.