A student who has astonishingly lived through two mass shootings within a span of seven years has recounted her harrowing experience during the recent shooting at Brown University.
The incident occurred when a gunman opened fire in an engineering building at the Rhode Island campus on Saturday, December 13, around 4pm local time. Students were present for a review session at that moment.
Rachel Friedberg, an economics professor whose teaching assistant was conducting the session, explained to local media outlet Ocean State Radio: “He said that the shooter came in the doors, yelled something – he couldn’t remember what he yelled – and started shooting. Students started to scramble to try to get away from the shooter, trying to get lower down in the stadium seating, and people got shot.”
The shooting has resulted in the deaths of at least two individuals, while nine others have sustained injuries and are receiving medical treatment.
A man in his 20s, identified as a person of interest, is currently in custody.
Zoe Weissman, 20, found herself amidst the chaos after being informed in her dormitory that students were evacuating the campus due to an incident in one of the buildings.
In 2018, Zoe was attending Westglades Middle School, located next to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when Nikolas Cruz carried out a shooting that resulted in 17 deaths and 18 injuries.
Cruz was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in 2022.
In an interview with MS Now, Zoe expressed her feelings about experiencing two mass shootings: “I’m really angry. I’m really angry that this is happening to me all over again. And I’m just in shock. I think, mentally, I feel like I’m 12 again. This feels exactly how I felt in 2018.”
Zoe also shared her reaction with NBC News, describing her panic upon hearing about the active shooter on campus.
“Once I knew a little more and I didn’t feel there was imminent danger, I felt numb — exactly how I did when I was 12,” she continued.
Following the unfortunate event, Brown University President Christina Paxson provided updates, indicating that among those injured, six are in critical but stable condition, one is stable, and one is in a critical state.
President Donald Trump addressed the shooting from the White House, expressing: “So to the nine injured get well fast, and to the families of those two that are no longer with us, I pay my deepest regards and respects from the United States of America.”
If you or someone you know has been impacted by gun violence, please find more information and support through Survivors Empowered on their website.