MEMPHIS, Tenn. — School officials and police are calling for stricter gun control and greater personal responsibility as the community comes to grips with the tragic shooting at Cummings K-8 School.
Shelby County Schools Superintendent Joris Ray is asking parents to be vigilant after a 13-year-old student shot another student at the school.
“Gun violence has no place in our schools,” he said. “Parents, check your students’ backpacks before coming to school.”
Memphis Police Deputy Chief Don Crowe is also pleading with the community.
“It begs of everyone to keep their guns secure,” he said. “It starts by making sure they’re secured from family members. It starts by making sure guns are not left unattended in motor vehicles. We don’t want our children getting their hands on guns.”
Cummings parent Shanequa Boyd says there’s plenty of blame to go around and claims school district security isn’t strict enough.
“Once these kids be late for school, they don’t have to walk through the metal detector, and that’s another problem,” Boyd said.
We asked SCS to explain the policy but officials simply told us students are subject to random metal detection.
“They need to have security at the door at all times checking backpacks doing whatever they have to do to have safety in these school buildings,” Boyd said.
But Ray is suggesting everyone has to pitch in to make it safe, even students on campus.
“If you see something, say something,” Ray said.
He’s hoping lawmakers will say something about stricter gun control.
“We need to look at our laws. This has to stop,” Ray said. “No way a child should have a gun. This must stop.”
Governor Bill Lee also addressed Thursday’s shooting. He believes one of the best ways to fight gun violence is to keep increasing penalties for those who use guns illegally.
