Colorado students walked out of a vigil for their classmates Wednesday when it got political.
The students, who were attending a vigil for a Tuesday shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Denver that killed one and injured eight, weren’t aware the event had been organized by a gun control advocacy group.
According to USAToday’s Trevor Hughes, the event was organized and publicized by the Colorado branch of TeamENOUGH, a student-led initiative associated with the gun control advocacy group Brady.
I think a lot of confusion comes from the fact that many attendees didn’t realize this was specially organized by gun-control advocates. Most thought it was “just” a vigil. pic.twitter.com/njPcVKcN96
— Trevor Hughes (@TrevorHughes) May 9, 2019
The press release for the event made it clear that Brady would be supporting the event but did not indicate that it would be used as a platform to promote specific policy.
Following the tragic shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Douglas County, CO that killed one student and injured eight others, the Colorado branch of Team ENOUGH, Brady’s student-led initiative, will host an interfaith memorial vigil in support of the victims and survivors. The vigil will be supported by Brady. The event is open to the press and coverage is invited.
But as students gathered to pay their respects, organizers reportedly gave the floor to activist Laura Reeves — of Bloomberg gun-control advocacy group Moms Demand Action — and anti-gun politicians rather than the students themselves.
We’re at the vigil at Highland Ranch High School in Colorado. We’ll be tweeting as we hear from advocates like @kaylee4prez, @SenatorBennet, and more. #STEMshooting #EndGunViolence pic.twitter.com/Ml9oirdso7
— Team ENOUGH (@Team_Enough) May 9, 2019
Moms Demand Action’s Laura Reeves heavily politicizes the STEM School Highlands Ranch vigil:
-Blames NRA
-Demonizes pro-gun politicians
-Advocates working to elect Democrats
-Tells students to register voters, stage walkouts, raise $$$, & use social media to promote gun control pic.twitter.com/YlY3VaXWp8— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 9, 2019
STEM School students walked out of a vigil tonight after @RepJasonCrow & @SenatorBennet spoke. 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. #copolitics #9NEWS
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) May 9, 2019
The students responded by walking out of the vigil, chanting, “Mental health! Mental health! Mental health!” (RELATED: Colorado Students Grow Angry At Vigil’s Politicization, Some Walk Out)
Powerful moment when STEM School kids spontaneously started shouting, “mental health! Mental health!“ Anguish at adults not recognizing their pain and the pain of their classmates. #stemschoolshooting pic.twitter.com/8U0lAfh64o
— Jenny Brundin (@CPRBrundin) May 9, 2019
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
Students and family members proceeded to hold their own vigil outside, despite the rain.
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. (They asked that I not photograph their faces close up, and I respected their wishes.) pic.twitter.com/cksRXGtYQA
— 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
Brady has since offered an apology, saying in part, “We are deeply sorry any part of this vigil did not provide the support, caring & sense of community we sought to foster and facilitate.”
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
Sources close to the shooting investigation say the motives of the two suspects — one adult and one minor — “went beyond bullying and involved revenge and anger towards others at the school.”