Petition To Deem April 30 Day To Remember UNC CLT Shooting Survivors And Victims

CHARLOTTE, NC– It was a heavy day for students who returned to campus for the first time since Tuesday’s shooting on UNC Charlotte’s campus.

“It was scary to even fathom the thought of me even coming back on this place, somewhere that I felt so safe before, and all this is, just, that sense of security is gone right now,” said Frances Culver.

Another student, Megan Beach, carried a sign that read the name of the 21-year-old who saved her life: Riley Howell. He died after he tackled the shooter.

“He gave us time, and he saved us,” said Beach. “He saved a lot of people.”

They came to UNC Charlotte’s campus to cope and rally together. City Council members and State Lawmaker Alma Adams showed up at the rally there. Students say they want funding for mass shooting studies, and they want to vote out lawmakers who have not compromised on gun reform.

“This ends with us,” one student speaker told the crowd. “So, when you see me and the students behind me in line to vote this year and next year and the years to follow, don’t say anything beside your love and support for us.”

Some decided to hop on the train and take their message to Uptown, joining an NAACP march to stop violence.

Students seem broken. They barely spoke on the train ride into Uptown.

“I mean you can look at our faces and just see that we’re distraught,” said Jacora Nesbit.

“Even if we don’t say anything, you know?” said Sandra Sanchez.

However, they were loud and clear with demands as they carried their grief through the crowds of Uptown.

“That should never happen in the first place, and I just want to bring awareness to that and make change,” said Culver.

If you want to sign a petition asking City Council to make April 30 a day to remember the victims and survivors of the UNC Charlotte shooting, click here.