STEM School Shooting Survivor Calls For More Action: 'Change Anything You Can'
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (CBS4) - The horrible day at STEM School in Highlands Ranch in 2019 was magnified many times over at a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. It's now prompting a STEM survivor to speak out.
"I think it's unfortunate many people have my perspective," said Tyler Strimbu.
It is a perspective Strimbu gained from being in the classroom with two people out to kill. Now he is demanding political action.
"Give better mental health support to schools, a gun regulation law with red flag laws and background checks nationwide," he said.
He was among those in room 107 on May 9, 2019, when two armed students walked into STEM School Highlands Ranch to carry out a mass shooting. Strimbu later testified at the trial of one of the suspects. He now praises legislation in Colorado.
"We've banned things like bump stocks. We've implemented background checks, but obviously that's not working."
Now as America mourns the 21 who died at a school in Uvalde, Texas, Strimbu feels compelled to speak up.
"The most effective way to get stuff like that done is to have that regulation at a national rather than a state or local level," he suggested.
He notes the reality that gun control would not have prevented the STEM shooting where students stole a parent's guns from a safe. What saved lives was the heroism of Kendrick Castillo who, with others, intervened giving a life to save others.
"Please for kids like me and kids like Kendrick who don't make it, change anything you can to try to make it better," said Strimbu who emphasized he does not support arming teachers.
He is now a student at the University of Colorado in Boulder, not far from where 10 people were killed at a Kings Soopers grocery store.
