INDIANAPOLIS — Instead of waiting for their local legislators to make changes, students in Indianapolis brought their concerns straight to the Indiana Statehouse. On Friday, they joined hundreds of students across the country for the National School Walkout, all to protest gun violence and demand action from lawmakers.
"So my brothers can grow up in a world without worrying about gun violence," Jaidyn, a student at Shortridge High School, explained. "And if they ever choose to have kids, or if I choose to have kids, that they're entering a world where they shouldn't be scared for their life just simply going to school and getting an education."
Hundreds of students made their voices heard, all asking lawmakers for one thing.
Kids over guns.
That was just one of many messages of the day.
"People are literally dying, it feels like - every day - people are dying from gun violence, which is the truth," Lukas, a student at North Central High School said.
"You can easily get your life and opportunities taken away from you with a single bullet," Jaidyn exclaimed.
The walkout comes just over a week after last week's school shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Two children were killed, and 21 other people were injured.
“I, and I know sadly many of my other peers, have had the fear of sitting in a classroom and knowing that something this devastating can happen," Emerson, a student at Herron High School, said.
“The first time that I ever visited Shortridge, it was for a field trip to see the Mean Girls Musical, and we got put on lockdown before we got to the second act because somebody came in with some weapons," Peyton, a student at Shortridge High School, said. "And that was a very scary time for us.”
Students from high schools Like Shortridge, Herron and North Central came out to show their support. Some came with signs, others chose to speak.
“We can not allow another mass shooting to occur because when will enough be enough?" Holden Pasley, who organized the event, stated.
They all share one hope: that the violence will stop.
“It needs to be a wake-up call to them that we are tired of this and we are done," Emerson stated.
“To me, it’s just a no-brainer that something needs to be done," Lukas emphasized.
Attendees told WRTV some of the things they're pushing lawmakers to do include banning assault weapons, restricting access to high-caliber weapons, and requiring background checks on all gun sales.
