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An exercise at Hileah High School in the US state of Florida.
A school shootout is simulated – including blank cartridges and bloodstains painted on.
A scary but realistic scenario.
Here the situation of a so-called "active shooting" is rehearsed, i.e. the reaction to a shooter breaking into the school.
Up to 100 police officers took part in the exercise.
Here in Miami-Dade County there has been such a school police force since the late 1950's.
Since then, the simulations have been constantly updated.
Edwin Lopez, Miami-Dade School Police Department
“We are happy to share our strength and police forces.
We want the community to know that.
We want anyone out there who wants to harm our students better not come here.
Because our law enforcement officers are trained to kill them quickly.
As a parent, that's exactly what I want: we don't have time to negotiate with an active sniper."
The scenario at Hileah High School is a sad record:
Since 1970, 2,067 school shootings have been recorded in the United States.
Almost a fifth of those incidents occurred between 2020 and 2022, when school shootings hit their 20-year high.
Florida is third on the list, after California and Texas, with a total of 90 school shootings.
One of the worst school shootings in the state occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in 2018.
At that time, a 19-year-old gunman shot dead 14 students and 3 adults in his former school.
The gunman Nikolas Cruz confessed to his crime the next day.
These days, four years after the assassination, family members of the victims from back then are coming back into the courtroom.
They read out explanations of the effects of the crime:
Lori Alhadeff, Victim's Mother
“Our albums will never contain pictures or memories of Alyssa graduating from high school or college, her marriage, her babies — et cetera et cetera.
She was not granted the privilege of being here with us and continuing to write her story.
Her life was tragically cut short. 'Time flies and I keep thinking about what could have been for Alyssa.
I would certainly have traded places with her that day if I could have."
Ilan Alhadeff, father of a victim
»My elderly mother lost her granddaughter.
My elderly mother, she lost her granddaughter and is struggling to find happiness in her life again.”
Cruz, now 23, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of first-degree murder in October;
now the criminal trial will decide whether he will be sentenced to death or life without parole.
There was no operation like this exercise in Parkland four years ago.
Edwin Lopez, Miami-Dade School Police Department
“This is a scary situation.
This is not an easy situation for anyone.
But even worse than these exercises is having to bury a six or seven year old or an eight year old who is dying.
This is scary for me.
These exercises are great.
Yes, they are realistic and scary, but they are needed in this community."
Whether school massacres can only be prevented with the presence of the police is another question.
At least here at Hileah High School it is considered necessary.
