Students from STEM Highlands Ranch, where two students carried out a school shooting on May 7, walked out of a vigil held at Highlands Ranch High School because they were upset that a Democratic Senator was using the rally to push gun control.
“STEM School students walked out of a vigil tonight after Rep. Jason Crow & Sen. Michael Bennet spoke,” reported Kyle Clark of 9 News via Twitter. “Students said their grief was being politicized. They later returned, took the mic, and some said they didn’t want to be used to promote gun control.”
Both Crow and Bennet are Democrats. Bennet is running for president.
Neither Congressman commented on the students being upset at their gun control remarks.
Students from the #STEMshooting in Colorado stormed out of a rally organized by gun-control advocates Wednesday night after growing angry about the politicization of their trauma. pic.twitter.com/uCLEqt89VY
— Trevor Hughes (@TrevorHughes) May 9, 2019
What was so amazing about STEM school kids walking out, holding up lights in the drizzling rain to honor their friend who died, shouting for mental health services, sharing their grief into microphone is this: teens worlds are hyper-controlled by adults. Tonight, THEY spoke. pic.twitter.com/yMEpF4ODTI
— Jenny Brundin (@CPRBrundin) May 9, 2019
STEM students leave vigil, hold their own outside Highlands Ranch HS. pic.twitter.com/aJUkXcttk2
— Michael de Yoanna (@mdy1) May 9, 2019
Students from Highlands Ranch HS hosted a community vigil in support of STEM students. A group of STEM students and other walked out of the event after a few voiced concerns about not being listed as speakers for the vigil program. #9News pic.twitter.com/3kA7bbnjAS
— Ama Arthur-Asmah (@Ama_A_Asmah) May 9, 2019
“Frustrated, crying and angry, #STEMschool shooting victims hold an impromptu vigil in the rain Wednesday after leaving a gun-control vigil they felt inappropriately politicized their trauma,” added USA Today reporter Trevor Hughes, sharing a picture of the students holding the vigil outside.
Hughes said that many attendees believed it was a vigil while the event was actually organized by the Brady Campaign, a group that pushes gun control legislation.
The campaign later issued a statement apologizing for politicizing the tragedy.
“We are deeply sorry any part of this vigil did not provide the support, caring & sense of community we sought to foster and facilitate,” the campaign stated.
Gun control org @bradybuzz apologizes for #STEMshooting vigil. Students walked out saying their grief was being politicized. “We are deeply sorry any part of this vigil did not provide the support, caring & sense of community we sought to foster and facilitate” #9NEWS #copolitics pic.twitter.com/NHD6EaekXg
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) May 9, 2019
Wild scene where STEM school kids walked out of Highlands Ranch, upset that the event was the politicians talking about gun control. So they took over themselves and I have their own vigil. #STEMShooting pic.twitter.com/WlIjwctnFo
— Jenny Brundin (@CPRBrundin) May 9, 2019
They demanded that they be allowed to speak. An adult said to the crowd, “You will not speak to the media…this is not who we are.” Then they stormed out, yelling that they’d been made into political pawns for gun control. pic.twitter.com/Pe2Dk951Lo
— Kevin Beaty (@KevinJBeaty) May 9, 2019
And then they went back inside and reclaimed the gym. Students ran the mic, and they took turns. Some lamented how the event was a political stunt, some said they just wanted to remember Kendrick Castillo. This was supposed to be for them. pic.twitter.com/aPzDX69QRK
— Kevin Beaty (@KevinJBeaty) May 9, 2019
One student went to the microphone when the students returned to the event to lash out at the politicians.
“They say that they get it, but they don’t get what we went through yesterday. They don’t get what it’s like to have to run for your life, they don’t get what it’s like to have people yelling at you, ‘school shooter, run for your life.’ They don’t get what it’s like to look at a teacher in the eye and say, ‘run for your life.'”
People on Twitter condemned Crow, Bennet, and the Brady Campaign, including one who was allegedly at the rally.
“I was there. It was a TOTAL ANTI-GUN political rally run by politicians and activists,” the person wrote. “STEM students walked out in protest & then they came back in and took the microphone from the activists. They were righteous and they were awesome!”
“It was a stunt to politicize a tragedy, apology doesn’t make it ok,” another person added. “They knew exactly what they were doing and to publicize their ‘apology’ and try to give these people a pass is a dishonor to these students.”
