Gun violence is an issue today’s younger generation has grown up with. When school violence started to enter schools, the nation reacted not only with shock, but protocols to help schools cope with such potential violence.

Because school shootings and gun violence are so common, it’s hard to keep track of each time a horrific school shooting events occurs. As school shootings continue and people become desensitized to gun violence, it is crucial society learns to identify warning signs of potential young shooters.

In September, a Wilmette junior high student was discovered to possess loaded guns and materials for making explosives. The boy’s mother discovered the weapons and called the police. The student was detained and the weapons were confiscated.

The threat across the road reminds Regina girls that everyone, regardless of their school, needs to be vigilant of the signs of a school shooter.  According to Psychology Today, some signs of people who may be at a high risk for violence include young people who typically do not show remorse, act out in violent ways, are obsessed with weapons, do not have meaningful friendships, are in houses with high family dysfunction, or have a history of social, emotional and mental disturbances.

Psychology Today states that social connections for all students lowers the chances of violence. If a student is concerned about a classmate, it is important to reach out to a trusted adult, teacher, or counselor in order to ensure that the student receives help as well as to keep a school safe from physical harm.