In the aftermath of the tragic shooting at Brown University on Saturday, where an unidentified gunman took the lives of two students and injured nine others, the campus remains engulfed in fear and uncertainty. Among the worried students are Mia Tretta and Zoe Weissman, both of whom have faced the harrowing reality of gun violence before. Their experiences highlight the ongoing issue of mass shootings in the United States and the deep scars they leave behind.
Mia Tretta, now 21 years old, was a victim of the 2019 mass shooting at Saugus High School, located about 40 miles north of Los Angeles. During that tragic event, a 16-year-old gunman opened fire, killing two individuals, including Tretta's best friend, and injuring three others before taking his own life. Tretta's journey has been marked by trauma, and she never expected to confront another mass shooting while at Brown University.
"No one in this country even assumes it’s going to happen to them," Tretta expressed. "Once it happens to you, you assume or are told it will never happen again, and obviously that is not the case." This sentiment resonates strongly in the wake of the recent events at Brown, where fear has again taken root in the hearts of students.
Zoe Weissman, 20 years old and a sophomore pre-med student, shared her own experience with gun violence. She was attending Westglades Middle School, adjacent to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when a former student opened fire in 2018, killing 17 people. Like Tretta, Weissman never anticipated that she would have to endure the trauma of a mass shooting again.
When she received a call from a friend alerting her to the chaos unfolding on campus, Weissman found herself in a state of panic. "At first, I was panicked," she recalled. "Once I knew a little more and I didn’t feel there was imminent danger, I felt numb — exactly how I did when I was 12." This emotional response underscores the lasting impact of such traumatic events on young individuals.
Both Tretta and Weissman have transformed their fear into a powerful message against gun violence. Weissman has emerged as an activist, advocating for stricter gun regulations. She previously served as the president of the Parkland chapter of March for Our Lives, a movement co-founded by David Hogg, a survivor of the Stoneman Douglas shooting. "I’m angry that I thought I’d never have to deal with this again, and here I am eight years later," Weissman stated, emphasizing the frustration felt by many survivors.
Weissman believes that her activism not only aids in her own healing process but also serves as a crucial reminder of the need for change in gun legislation. "I think the fact this is my second shooting can be very impactful for people," she noted. "When people put a face to something, they care a lot more." This perspective is vital in the ongoing dialogue surrounding gun control and public safety.
For Tretta, the day she was shot in 2019 remains a pivotal moment that has forever altered her life. "I have not been the same person I was that day ever again," she remarked, drawing a parallel to the new trauma faced by students at Brown University. As the community grapples with this recent tragedy, the voices of survivors like Tretta and Weissman underscore the urgent need to address gun violence in America.
As the investigation continues and the campus community seeks to heal, the stories of these courageous young women serve as a powerful reminder of the human impact of gun violence and the importance of advocating for change.