Shooting survivors share their experiences
AUSTIN, TEXAS » Survivors of last week’s shooting at a high school near Houston told gripping stories of dodging bullets, hiding from the attacker and seeing classmates get shot as they pleaded with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday for more armed security to keep campuses safe.
The emotional threehour discussion marked the end of three days of meetings Abbott held on school safety and mass shootings. And while the governor has appeared to embrace ideas of boosting security and tracking student mental health, there is little expectation the staunch gunrights supporter will push for major changes to restrict owning firearms or buying them.
The Republican, who is campaigning for re- election, organized the mostly closed- door meetings shortly after eight students and two substitute teachers were fatally shot inside Santa Fe High School. Abt- bott said he wanted to find “swift and meaningful” ways to stop future shootings.
He hasn’t said when or what he’ll recommend, but told the survivors and their families Thursday, “We are going to do more than just talk, we are going to act.”
Thursday’s meeting included more than 30 students, families and staff members from Santa Fe High School. Scot Rice described hiding behind a parking lot garbage bin, hearing bullets whiz by as he could see his wife Flo, a substitute teacher, pretending to be dead after getting shot. She survived. A police officer was able to carry her to safety. Also attending were two survivors of the November church shooting in rural Sutherland Springs, Texas, that left more than two dozen people dead.