The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Dunblane relatives in US to support victims
SHOOTINGS: Scots pair visit Florida to speak to people there affected by Parkland attack – and to back campaign
The family of a Dunblane shooting victim have visited Florida to support relatives and friends of those killed in the Parkland high school tragedy.
Alison Crozier and her son Jack – who lost their five-year-old daughter and sister Emma in the 1996 primary school shootings, in which 16 children and their teacher were killed – travelled to the US with radio station LBC.
During the trip they spoke about the impact of Emma’s death, and the successful Snowdrop campaign which led to a ban on private handgun ownership in the UK.
Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas School have demanded tougher gun laws in the US after 17 people were killed in the shooting on February 14.
During a meeting with Gary Dworet and Vivien D’addario, the uncle and aunt of 17-year-old victim Nicholas Dworet, Jack told LBC: “The most important thing is that something positive comes out of something that is so terrible.
“Something positive happened after Dunblane. We changed everything and that’s what we hope can happen here as well.”
“Something positive happened after Dunblane. We changed everything and that’s what we hope can happen here as well. JACK CROZIER
He urged campaigners to speak with one voice to oppose the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), the powerful gun lobby group.
“In the UK we had one voice, it was the Snowdrop campaign, it was the gun control network,” he said.
“This one voice, and this is what we want and we’re not going to stop until we’ve got to this end point.”
On the loss of Emma, Alison told the family: “It’s always there but you can live out with it. That’s where the positivity is that we do want to give you.
“We are 22 years down the line. There’s always this hole in your life. The first year is just a blur. You do it day by day.”
Alison and Jack also met students and campaigners Nikhita Nookola and Christy Ma, who both lost friends in the February shooting, and with Congressman Ted Deutch, who has been campaigning for gun control.
Nikhita told them: “It’s so incredible that you guys came all the way from Scotland to support us.
“You’re just a living example of what we can do and how people have the power in government.”
The LBC trip is the latest move by Dunblane relatives to support Parkland families, students and campaigners.
Ten family members of victims and survivors recorded a video message entitled Dunblane Stands With Parkland, while several relatives, including Jack, spoke at a rally for US gun control in Edinburgh last month.