In an exclusive interview with Zoe Weissman, she shared her harrowing experience of surviving two mass shootings. Weissman, a 20-year-old sophomore at Brown University, found herself in the midst of another shooting incident on campus in December. The trauma of the Parkland school shooting in 2018, where she was near the site of the tragic event as a 12-year-old, had already left a lasting impact on her mental health. Following the Brown University shooting, which resulted in two fatalities and multiple injuries, Weissman reflected on the need for stricter gun control measures in the U.S.

During the lockdown at Brown University, Weissman, along with fellow survivor Mia Tretta, a junior at the university who had previously been shot in a high school incident, faced a terrifying ordeal once again. Their experiences have fueled their involvement in gun violence prevention activism. Weissman emphasized the importance of taking action to prevent further tragedies and called for sensible gun reforms that would not infringe on law-abiding citizens’ rights to self-defense. Both survivors are committed to raising awareness and advocating for change to prevent future gun-related violence.