Central Visual and Performing Arts High School senior Veronica Russell leads a march with CVPA students, faculty, family and friends during the "Family Undivided" event organized by CVPA students on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the school.
Jordan Opp, Post-Dispatch
Keisha Acres, mother of Alexzandria Bell, 15, embraces Barbara Edmonds, mother of Jean Kuczka, during the 鈥淔amily Undivided鈥 event organized by students of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the school. Alexzandria and Kuczka were killed in a shooting at the school on Oct. 24, 2022.
Jordan Opp, Post-Dispatch
Jordan Opp photos, Post-Dispatch
Students of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School march past a memorial honoring the victim鈥檚 of last month鈥檚 shooting in front of the school on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022.
Jordan Opp, Post-Dispatch
Don Miller, center, purchases a shirt that says 鈥淐VPA Strong鈥 during the 鈥淔amily Undivided鈥 event organized by students of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the school.
Jordan Opp, Post-Dispatch
Central Visual and Performing Arts High School students wear shirts honoring teacher Jean Kuczka and student Alexandria Bell, who killed in a shooting last month at the school, during the 鈥淔amily Undivided鈥 event on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the school.
Jordan Opp, Post-Dispatch
Central Visual and Performing Arts High School students release lanterns into the sky during the "Family Undivided" event on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the school.
Rayquan Strickland is still in disbelief that a school shooting happened at his Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in south St. 亚洲无码 just two weeks ago.
But the CVPA senior sees two clear paths forward: celebrating the lives of the victims, fellow student Alexzandria Bell, 15, and health teacher Jean Kuczka, 61, and calling for stricter gun laws 鈥 including so-called red flag laws designed to keep firearms away from people who may pose a threat to themselves or others.
鈥淚f our safety is in the hands of the law,鈥 Strickland, 17, said, 鈥渢hen it should be adjusted to where it keeps every child safe.鈥
About 100 CVPA students, teachers and community members called for stronger gun laws Sunday during a roughly 1-mile march through the neighborhood around the school.
They carried signs that read 鈥淗ow many more?鈥 and shouted, 鈥淲e want justice for our school!鈥 and, 鈥淪top the violence!鈥 as they marched north on Hereford Street, then east on Reber Place and south on Kingshighway before heading west on Kemper Avenue. More than a dozen cars along the route honked in support.
A former CVPA student, 19-year-old Orlando Harris, opened fire on the school on Oct. 24, killing Alexzandria and Kuczka and injuring seven others before police shot and killed him. Harris came to the school with 600 rounds of ammunition and an AR-15-style rifle.
Harris鈥 mother had tried to get police to take his rifle, citing her son鈥檚 mental health struggles, as much as nine days before the shooting. Police, who had been to the home several times before, also knew he failed a federal background check when he tried to buy a weapon from a local dealer.
But police didn鈥檛 take the rifle at the time; instead, the gun went to a third person known by the family. Police said after the shooting that differences in state and federal gun possession laws and the state鈥檚 new Second Amendment Preservation Act prevented them from taking the gun. Gov. Mike Parson and some experts believe courts do have some control over gun possession when it involves people with mental health conditions.
It is still unclear how Harris got the rifle back in his possession to use during the school shooting 鈥 and it鈥檚 why those at Sunday鈥檚 event called for red flag laws.
鈥淧lease, I鈥檓 begging you,鈥 CVPA senior Veronica Russell, one of the leaders of the event, said to the crowd after the march. 鈥淩egister to vote. Get these gun laws enacted.鈥
The spirit during the march was somber and determined, but the atmosphere around the school鈥檚 track and field afterward was jovial and celebratory as students sang and danced. A few boys tossed a football back and forth. Some students tried out boxing while others brought their dogs and listened to music. At least a half-dozen people had registered to vote shortly after Veronica spoke.
鈥淓ven though we鈥檙e teenagers, our voices can still be heard,鈥 said Amari Wilson, 16, a junior at CVPA. 鈥淲e may not be the last school shooting, but we can at least try to make a difference.鈥
Amari was making custom bracelets for $5 where the money would be used to support similar school events in the future. She also was giving out free bracelets donned with the school鈥檚 gold colors and others with rainbow colors in support of the LGBTQ students at the school. Each had a heart bead.
鈥淐VPA has a lot of love,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 want to make sure they remember that.鈥
Rob Salarano came to the event with his wife, whose sister is a teacher at CVPA.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 great to get together to create something positive or at least begin to create something positive,鈥 Salarano said.
He recalled a text message his sister-in-law sent to his wife, saying something was happening at the school and that she loved her. It was frightening to get, Salarano said. He urged others to pay attention to the kids around them.
Alexzandria鈥檚 mother echoed those sentiments Sunday, where she told students to seek mental health if they need it. Kuczka鈥檚 family also spoke, thanking the crowd and hoping that the victims鈥 lives won鈥檛 be forgotten.
Strickland, the senior who helped organize the event, said he remembers Alexzandria as a beautiful soul who had a strong presence. He remembers visiting Kuczka at least once a week at the school after having her as a teacher his freshman and sophomore year.
鈥淚t hurts to lose whom we鈥檝e lost. But I think that we鈥檙e all ready to move forward through love and healing,鈥 Strickland said. 鈥淲e know that nothing can divide us whatsoever.鈥
But Republicans have shown no appetite to strengthen Missouri鈥檚 gun laws.
Central Visual and Performing Arts High School senior Veronica Russell leads a march with CVPA students, faculty, family and friends during the "Family Undivided" event organized by CVPA students on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the school.
Keisha Acres, mother of Alexzandria Bell, 15, embraces Barbara Edmonds, mother of Jean Kuczka, during the 鈥淔amily Undivided鈥 event organized by students of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the school. Alexzandria and Kuczka were killed in a shooting at the school on Oct. 24, 2022.
Students of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School march past a memorial honoring the victim鈥檚 of last month鈥檚 shooting in front of the school on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022.
Don Miller, center, purchases a shirt that says 鈥淐VPA Strong鈥 during the 鈥淔amily Undivided鈥 event organized by students of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the school.
Central Visual and Performing Arts High School students wear shirts honoring teacher Jean Kuczka and student Alexandria Bell, who killed in a shooting last month at the school, during the 鈥淔amily Undivided鈥 event on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the school.
Central Visual and Performing Arts High School students release lanterns into the sky during the "Family Undivided" event on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the school.