FSU alumni, athletes express grief over South Florida school shooting
By Jason Parker
The FSU community, both the school and athletic programs, are familiar with the Broward County school where at least 17 people were killed Wednesday.
It yet another senseless, tragic act that took place on a school campus, one South Florida high school is grieving the loss of at least 17 people following a Wednesday afternoon shooting. The horrific scene took place inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School – one of the largest schools in all of Broward County, located northwest of Fort Lauderdale.
While police, school officials and federal agencies like the FBI continue to investigate what took place, the entire state of Florida is reacting to what took place in the sixth school shooting since January 1st.
Douglas High School holds a special place for the FSU community, with countless athletes having come to the Seminoles – as well as the school sending the fifth most students to Florida State of any high school in the entire nation.
Several current and former FSU football players – including those from South Florida like former running back and Miami native Devonta Freeman along with former offensive lineman and Fort Lauderdale native Bobby Hart – took to social media and expressed their condolences following the tragedy.
Praying for the families at Stoneman Douglas. Unacceptable
— Devonta Freeman (@devontafreeman) February 14, 2018
Smh these tragedies need to end.. you send your child to school and don’t know if they gonna make It home... crazy, prayers up for the families affected and Broward County 😞
— Tarvarus McFadden (@DaRealTeetime) February 15, 2018
My prayers and heart go out to the kids in #Parkland.
— DeMarcus Walker (@livinglegend_44) February 14, 2018
Man this gotta stop man https://t.co/cqNDN83dGC
— I.B (@isaiahbolden23) February 14, 2018
Thoughts and prayers to parkland ! God bless the dale !
— Bobby T. Hart (@IGotHart) February 14, 2018
Even former FSU wide receiver Ron Dugans, who is now an assistant coach with the Miami Hurricanes, posted a message of prayer to knows who have been affected.
Broward County!! You are prayed for!! We're all family!!! 🙏🏾 #Condolences #PrayforDouglas #BrowardCounty
— Ron Dugans (@r81dugans) February 14, 2018
For the latest information on this incident, you can visit several media outlets in the area, including NBC 6, WSVN, Local 10, the South Florida Sun Sentinel and the Miami Herald. Officials are also asking anyone in the area who has O Negative blood to donate.
On a personal note, as a South Florida native who resides within miles of this school, words can’t even justify what took place today – the same way they couldn’t justify Sandy Hook, San Bernardino and the countless other times where kids didn’t get to go home from school. This isn’t about politics, it’s about the fact that no parent deserves the phone call that over a dozen will be getting.