Roxborough High School receives major state funding grant for security enhancements
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Roxborough High School on Tuesday received a major state funding grant to make security enhancements. The money comes in the wake of the deadly shooting that targeted several football players.
The mother of the student killed at the Roxborough school shooting stood beside the district superintendent and lawmakers Tuesday as they presented a check meant to improve security at the school.
The shooting at the high school prompted calls to action from all over our region.
Officials are hoping state funds to help with security will help put some at ease.
State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and state Sen. Vincent Hughes say they were able to help secure $500,000 in state funds to assist Roxborough High School with security enhancements.
The funding comes on the heels of the mass shooting following a junior varsity football scrimmage that took the life of 14-year-old Nicolas Elizalde and left four other teens injured.
The funding comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
Weeks after a deadly shooting at Roxborough High School, some students walking in say things still don't feel the same.
"Everybody's quiet. Like, it's just weird," a student said. "Everybody is just, like, 'wow, that really happened.'"
"I'm grateful (for the funding)," a student said. "At the same time, I do wish it was done a little sooner before, like, something, like, big like this happened."
As the search for all the suspects involved continues, the police commissioner spoke about how violence is impacting a generation of children.
"There is an entire generation of our children who are beginning to believe street life is the way to go," Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said. "An entire generation of children who believe the only way to set a score is by bringing a gun into the occasion. What these kids don't realize, unfortunately, is that some of the solutions that they're coming up with, they're final. This is the end for them. There is no going back. They're ruining their futures and they're ruining families."
Kenyatta, who graduated from Roxborough High School said, "Our children should not go to school in fear of losing their life. It is my hope that this funding will help prevent another tragedy like this from happening again."
Students have mixed feelings about the expected security measures.
"I think it's a mixed bag. I mean, like, I think I could feel safer with that, um, type of protection, but at the same time, I would be like more cautious because of, you know, all the security," a student said.