KANSAS CITY, Mo. — DeLaSalle High School students were celebrating graduation when gunfire rang out May 18 near the ceremony, leaving many students and families traumatized.
"We were happy that no one got killed, we were happy that bullets did not fly into the graduation, we were happy that no one got shot, but we were not happy that it happened,” said Sean Stalling, executive director of DeLaSalle Charter High School.
It's been nearly two weeks and the school is trying to help its students, their parents, teachers, and school staff deal with the aftermath.
“We're not happy that our children have to exist in that trauma," Stalling said. We're not happy that our families have to live in that trauma."
Shots rang out near the graduation being held outdoors at the school, leaving families and students in shock.
One of those parents, Cha'nele Anderson, is frustrated with what happened.
“The guns shots and stuff, it was like right there,” Anderson said.” We've been waiting 18 years, these kids have been waiting, the struggles and some of the things us single mothers had to get though, and then it's like now you ruined our moment.”
A moment the school will try to recreate with a another graduation ceremony that will be held on June 8.
The location has changed and security measures will be a priority.
“The violence that's kind of pervasive in our community, the students are able to process that a a little easier," Stalling said. "Not so much accepting it, but on some level it's a reality in the lives of some of our students.” Stalling said.
Stalling tells KSHB 41 security measures were in place when people came into the first ceremony.
“It looked like more of a stadium arena, it looked like a sporting event," Stalling said. "We treated it like a sporting event. You had to check your bags, we had metal detectors in there, we had Kansas City Police Officers there, we had our own hired security there, and we had some armed staff."
Even with a new location and plans, Anderson said she has fears about the second graduation.
Stalling hopes students heal and take away a lesson from what happened.
“I hope the students learn the resillience they already have is a strength," Stalling said. "I hope the students learn that the next steps of their lives are really important, but I also want to the students to know and to learn and to understand that their high school understands that what happened was not right."
Parents like Anderson are proud of the achievements of their children.
“That my child, in spite of that, he earned his education,” Anderson said.
The school said they hope the community will support them.
To find out more, you can go to their website.
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