Last night there was a vigil at the STEM school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where one student died in a school shooting this week and eight others were wounded. But students quickly walked out of the vigil when Democrats began to politicize it for the purposes of gun control:
STEM School students walked out of a vigil tonight after @RepJasonCrow & @SenatorBennet spoke. Students said their grief was being politicized. They later returned, took the mic, and some said they didn't want to be used to promote gun control. #copolitics #9NEWS
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) May 9, 2019
Students at a vigil for the STEM School shooting in Highlands Ranch reportedly walked out of the event after Democrat politicians Jason Crow and Michael Bennet made remarks and students said the tragedy was being politicized.
Outside, students chanted: "Mental health!" pic.twitter.com/sQpTfAUWCs
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 9, 2019
One of the big reasons they walked out was from this Mom’s Demand Action activist:
Moms Demand Action's Laura Reeves heavily politicizes the STEM School Highlands Ranch vigil:
-Blames NRA
-Demonizes pro-gun politicians
-Advocates working to elect Democrats
-Tells students to register voters, stage walkouts, raise $$$, & use social media to promote gun control pic.twitter.com/YlY3VaXWp8— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 9, 2019
This is the woman that multiple people I talked to identified as the one who angered students and caused them to storm out of the vigil because they felt like she was lying, using them, heavily politicizing the tragedy, and trying to capitalize on their pain.
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 9, 2019
Students outside started chanting “mental health” over and over:
Powerful moment when STEM School kids spontaneously started shouting, “mental health! Mental health!“ Anguish at adults not recognizing their pain and the pain of their classmates. #stemschoolshooting pic.twitter.com/8U0lAfh64o
— Jenny Brundin (@CPRBrundin) May 9, 2019
Some students began their own impromptu vigil:
Frustrated, crying and angry, #STEMschool shooting victims hold an impromptu vigil in the rain Wednesday after leaving a gun-control vigil they felt inappropriately politicized their trauma. (They asked that I not photograph their faces close up, and I respected their wishes.) pic.twitter.com/cksRXGtYQA
— Trevor Hughes (@TrevorHughes) May 9, 2019
Others students took over the main vigil themselves:
Wild scene where STEM school kids walked out of Highlands Ranch, upset that the event was the politicians talking about gun control. So they took over themselves and I have their own vigil. #STEMShooting pic.twitter.com/WlIjwctnFo
— Jenny Brundin (@CPRBrundin) May 9, 2019
One of the gun control organizations has since apologized for politicizing the vigil:
Gun control org @bradybuzz apologizes for #STEMshooting vigil. Students walked out saying their grief was being politicized. "We are deeply sorry any part of this vigil did not provide the support, caring & sense of community we sought to foster and facilitate" #9NEWS #copolitics pic.twitter.com/NHD6EaekXg
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) May 9, 2019
