TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Hearts are heavy as students walk around the Florida State University campus 24 hours after Thursday’s mass shooting.
Students were in tears and hugging one another as they visited a makeshift memorial where hundreds of flowers and balloons were placed. Students say the university is their second home, a place of safety. Some are fearful of it happening again.
“It’s a scar that’ll forever be on FSU and forever be on students,” said Sophia Laver. She’s a junior at FSU.
Flowers now lie outside the Student Union. The building where two people were killed and six others injured in a barrage of gunfire.
“I’m scared. I’m heartbroken. I haven’t stopped shaking since I got the news yesterday,” said Laver.
Students say the campus is forever changed. The sidewalks were mostly empty on Friday. A few students are still on campus, trying to get back to a routine. This walkway is filled with flowers and balloons, where a lot of students are gathering to reflect on what happened.
“We’re usually on this path to go to class, and now we’re placing flowers here for a memorial,” said Christian Rosado
Lauren Kim says her friend was in the building next to the Student Union the day of the shooting. She’s from South Florida and says what happened is becoming too normal.
“It’s really disheartening to see this same thing that happened in 2018, I was there when Parkland happened and seeing the same kind of memorial, it’s like seeing the same thing happen every year, when’s it going to stop,” said Kim.
Laver says she’s afraid for classes to start back up. A fear she says she shouldn’t have to live with.
“I’m constantly thinking about if something happened again, how would we be safe. I can’t help but constantly think about what happened. Being here, seeing everyone, brings all those emotions to the forefront,” said Laver.
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