East High School students demand action on gun violence, school safety at Denver City Council meeting

DENVER — A gaggle of East Excessive Faculty college students attended a Denver Metropolis Council assembly Tuesday to demand motion on gun violence and faculty security.

A number of have been soccer teammates of Luis Garcia, a 16-year-old East Excessive pupil who’s in intensive care after being shot close to the college final week.

“Gun violence in colleges just isn’t going to be accepted anymore,” senior Zeke Lubin instructed the council. “We’re scared and horrified of those actions, however we’re not shocked by gun violence anymore.”

“We’re scared,” junior Mateo Tullar added. “We don’t wish to be in school. We don’t really feel protected there. It’s not okay. This stuff want to alter.”

Each Lubin and Tullar are teammates of Garcia, and say it’s been a troublesome week for the group and all the faculty.

College students are attempting to be there for one another and the Garcia household whereas additionally processing their very own feelings and concern — all whereas making an attempt to handle courses and faculty work.

“It’s undoubtedly bizarre,” Lubin instructed Denver7. “Like, it’s been sort of onerous to focus at school with sort of the, , all the things occurring at the back of my thoughts.”

‘He is a fighter’: Household of 16-year-old shot close to East Excessive Faculty speaks days after taking pictures

Gun violence has hit the East Excessive group twice simply this faculty 12 months, and lockdown drills have grow to be routine elements of the college day, in accordance with the scholars. They hope that by sharing the nervousness publicly, leaders shall be pushed to concrete actions.

Particularly, the scholars are calling for enhanced cameras and safety measures, faculty useful resource officers, and restricted entry to campus throughout faculty hours to begin, Tullar mentioned.

“We actually problem you guys to do stuff about this, as a result of we now have no energy within the state of affairs,” he instructed the council. “We’re those that should comply, and we now have to go to high school, and we aren’t in a position to do something to defend ourselves. So, we’d like assist.”

The scholars have wasted no time working to assist Garcia’s household, within the meantime. They’ve created pink wristbands, every adorned with Luis’s jersey variety of 11 and the phrase “Finish Gun Violence,” and can start promoting them all through the group to lift cash for the household.

A separate GoFundMe has already raised greater than $160,000, with a objective of $400,000 to assist with medical bills.

“When it occurs to somebody so near you, it actually places issues in perspective,” Lubin mentioned. “We’ve grow to be impressed to return right here and instill change.”