Zoe Weissman, a survivor of both the Parkland school shooting in 2018 and the recent Brown University shooting, shared her harrowing experience in a recent interview. At just 20 years old, Weissman found herself in her dorm room at Brown University when she received a distressing call alerting her to the shooting on campus. Weissman, who had previously experienced the trauma of the Parkland massacre as a 12-year-old, immediately recognized the signs of danger due to her past trauma.

Having struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder following the Parkland incident, Weissman was prepared to react swiftly when news of the Brown University shooting emerged. She recounted feeling hyper-vigilant and instinctively going into survival mode, actions shaped by the prevalence of lockdown drills and school shootings during her upbringing.

As the events unfolded at Brown University, Weissman, along with other students, endured a lengthy lockdown period filled with uncertainty and fear. The shooting, which resulted in two fatalities and multiple injuries, left the community shaken. It took authorities five days to apprehend the alleged shooter, who was also linked to a separate crime in Massachusetts.

Reflecting on the pervasive issue of gun violence in the United States, Weissman expressed a mix of grief, anger, and frustration. She emphasized the urgent need for gun reform to prevent further tragedies, stressing the importance of restricting access to firearms for those with malicious intent while preserving the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Weissman’s story is not unique at Brown University, as another survivor, Mia Tretta, who had previously endured a shooting at Saugus High School in 2019, also found herself facing another traumatic event on campus. Tretta, like Weissman, highlighted the lasting impact of gun violence and the necessity of advocating for change.

Both Weissman and Tretta have been actively involved in gun violence prevention efforts, finding solace and purpose in their activism. They believe that personal experiences with gun violence can serve as a catalyst for broader societal change and emphasize the collective responsibility to address this pressing issue.