Local schools join nationwide walkout in support of stricter gun control

Local students planned to join the throngs of students nationwide who were walking out in support of a change to the current gun control laws. 

The movement comes following yet another horrific school shooting, which left 19 students and two teachers dead in Uvalde, Texas, a party shooting in San Bernardino, a church shooting in Laguna Woods and a supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York. 

Students Demand Action, a group of student activists dedicated to their mission of ending gun violence, planned the event for Thursday afternoon, prompting schools around the nation to follow suit. 

Universities, community colleges and high schools followed suit in protesting Thursday morning and into the afternoon. 

In their press release, which invited students, teachers, staff members, parents and more, SDA said, "Enough is enough. We are absolutely devastated for everyone impacted by this senseless act of violence. Once again, gun violence has forced its way into our schools, leaving nothing but devastation, trauma, and tragedy in its wake. Nineteen students and two adults were shot and killed. We need more than thoughts and prayers. We demand action from our lawmakers now."

"School is the last place where kids should have to worry about gun violence, but thanks to our weak gun laws and the gun lobby's relentless 'guns everywhere' agenda, nowhere is safe. Students deserve to live without fear," the statement continued. 

Sky2 over the scene of Saugus High School showed dozens of students gathered in front of the campus holding signs calling for stricter gun control. 

In 2019, Saugus High School was targeted in a school shooting that left two students dead and three wounded. 

They could be heard chanting "Not one more," as they held signs reading "Enough is Enough," "We are the future. Protect us!" and "Education > Guns" amongst others. 

Mia Tretta, one of the students shot in 2019, was amongst those protesting for lawmakers to make a change, wearing 19 butterflies in her hair in honor of the 19 students tragically killed in Tuesday's shooting in Texas.  

"This is the people who are making the laws, and they are not listening to the fact that we are dying at our schools," Tretta said while speaking with CBS reporter Kara Finnstrom. "That's not fair to us. We can't vote yet, we can't be in legislation, but the people who are there are not doing what they need to do."

In April, Tretta also spoke in Washington, D.C., joining President Joe Biden to discuss gun control. 

Her mother also spoke with Finnstrom, detailing why it was important for them to join the cause. 

"To be a parent that received a text like that, to have to tell our daughter that her best friend died, you're never gonna forget that," said Tiffany Tretta. "So what's the alternative? You have to fight. Otherwise you fall apart."

The school does not plan to penalize any of the students. 

"We understand it's an extraordinary moment, I don't think anyone here is going to be actually looking to apply penalties to the kids here," said one school official. 

Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho made an appearance, indicating that the district wanted to make sure that the students were heard. Carvalho on Wednesday also made it clear that he was looking to unveil a new budget for enhanced security which will include deployments of school police.

Additionally, students from El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills gathered in protest Thursday at a similar protest organized by their Students Demand Action Club.