From Activism to Abroad: Her Journey Following the Parkland Mass Shooting
Despite leading the National School Walkout after the Parkland shooting, Lane Murdock now resides in a country with minimal mass shootings This article explores her journey, highlighting shared trauma and her new life in a safer environment
Lane Murdock occasionally searches for emergency exits at her Scottish university campus, even though mass shootings are uncommon in her current country of residence. This behavior persists, despite her role in organizing a national student walkout after the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than five years ago when she was still in Connecticut.
"Dealing with daily mourning remains a reality for a majority of Americans," stated Murdock, who hails from a nation where the Gun Violence Archive reports that almost 1,500 children and teenagers have fallen victim to gunfire this year.
In Great Mills, Maryland, on March 20, 2018, school buses are seen lining up in front of Great Mills High School. This scene follows a shooting incident where two students were injured when a fellow student opened fire in the hallway right before classes were scheduled to start. The photograph was captured by Mark Wilson and is sourced from Getty Images.
School shootings in the US: Fast facts
"Its devastating, and I sometimes feel guilty that Ive been able to leave, but I wake up every morning grateful that I have."
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been over 590 mass shootings in the US in the current year. These tragic incidents have resulted in the deaths of over 600 individuals and injuries to 2,500 others. Among these shootings, there have been at least 69 school shootings as of October 28th. CBS analysis of data from the Gun Violence Archive, Education Week, and Everytown for Gun Safety reveals that these school shootings have led to the deaths of at least 33 people and left more than 77 injured.
Firearms have become the primary cause of death among children and teenagers in America, surpassing motor vehicle accidents, which previously held that position until 2020.
"Makes me question the impact of the work I did," 21-year-old Murdock expressed in a phone interview from Edinburgh, reflecting on her past activism against gun violence during high school.
Shared trauma over mass shootings
America is currently facing a deep-rooted cultural problem, one that strikes at the core of American identity itself. Tragically, this issue is closely intertwined with both gun violence and the concept of gun ownership.
Lane Murdock, when she was a sophomore at Ridgefield High School.
On Valentine's Day in 2018, Murdock, a sophomore at Ridgefield High School in Connecticut, found himself caught in the tragic event that unfolded at Majory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. This devastating incident resulted in the loss of 14 students and three teachers.
On April 20, 2018, the anniversary of the tragic 1999 Columbine High School massacre, she devised a plan for students to stage a school walkout in protest. Murdock's Change.org petition received attention that extended well beyond Ridgefield, a community located less than 30 minutes away from Sandy Hook. Sandy Hook is where a devastating shooting took place in 2012, resulting in the loss of 20 elementary school students and six staff members.
Murdock, who was 16 at the time, expressed to CNN, "We tend to avoid discussing the fact that American children are living in a state of fear. It is unacceptable for any child to have to learn how to protect themselves from a potential shooter."
According to organizers, over 2,500 schools across the United States, ranging from New England to Hawaii, joined the walkout. Additionally, American students from Oxford and Cambridge universities in England, as well as high schoolers in the US territory of Guam, took part in the demonstration.
Lane Murdock, then 16, discussed logistics with classmates a week before the April, 20, 2018, National School Walkout.
The walkout occurred simultaneously with the growing movement spearheaded by survivors of the Parkland massacre. These survivors rallied in Washington, DC, staging a massive March For Our Lives, demanding substantial reforms.
The immediate impact of the larger movements was exemplified by the passage of legislation in various parts of the country. According to a report by the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in late 2018, a total of 67 new gun laws were enacted in 26 states and Washington, DC, with support from Republican and Democratic legislators.
However, the failure of America to safeguard its children from firearm violence was once again underscored on May 24, 2022. A tragic incident unfolded at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 fourth graders and two teachers lost their lives as a result of gun violence.
"As Americans we have a shared trauma around these mass shootings that the rest of the world just cannot relate to," Murdock said.
Shes living in a whole other world
In August 2020, Murdock relocated to Scotland in order to pursue her studies in public relations at Edinburgh Napier University. Since then, she has acquired a subtle Scottish accent while working at a local pub and sharing an apartment with four roommates.
Reflecting on her decision, she described life in the US as exhausting and expressed how the walkout had been an incredible yet challenging learning experience for her. Consequently, she felt prepared for a change and had the desire to leave America due to various factors including expensive tuition fees, costly healthcare, and the perceived danger of the country.
Responding to the Covenant Church/School campus on Monday morning, Officers Rex Engelbert and Michael Collazo swiftly entered the premises. With a combined experience of 13 years, the officers bravely confronted the shooter, ultimately resulting in the assailant's demise. This is the actual footage captured on their body cameras.
Metro Nashville Police
Authorities are investigating online posts showing Nashville school shooters writings
In Scotland, Murdock said, young people dont even think about gun violence.
In fact, 52 homicides were recorded in Scotland in 2022-23, according to the most recent Scottish government statistics.
In Scotland, a country with a population of 5.4 million people, knives are the preferred weapon of choice for criminals. In the year 2022-23, a sharp instrument was used in 58% of all killings, which accounted for 30 victims. Government statistics show that only three homicides involved firearms.
According to Scottish authorities, there has been a significant decrease in homicides among individuals aged 16 to 24 over the past two decades. Between 2003-04 and 2007-08, there were a total of 126 victims in this age group. However, in the last five years, this number has dropped to 24.
In 1996, the town of Dunblane in Scotland experienced one of the most devastating incidents of gun-related violence in the United Kingdom. This tragedy involved the loss of 16 children, aged 5 and 6, along with their teacher. The perpetrator, a 43-year-old man, entered the school gym armed with four handguns and carried out a three-minute shooting rampage.
Public outcry prompted political action the following year - the government banned the private ownership of all handguns on Britains mainland.
LEWISTON, ME - October 27: After the recent discovery of Robert Card, Maine Governor Janet Mills held a press conference. The suspect in the mass shootings in Maine, Robert Card, was found deceased at a recycling center from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, as confirmed by a law enforcement source involved in the investigation. (Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Maine's governor will establish a committee to investigate the manner in which the authorities addressed past apprehensions regarding the individual responsible for the Lewiston shooting incident.
"It's an entirely different realm," remarked Murdock. "Following the Dunblane incident, legislation was enacted that has drastically transformed the lives of many young individuals. Unlike me, my generation no longer grapples with the same anxiety and fears that plagued our childhood and persist to this day."
Following a devastating mass shooting in Hungerford, southern England, in 1987, wherein a 27-year-old individual went on a violent rampage for several hours, resulting in the deaths of 16 innocent individuals, including himself, stricter regulations were implemented, leading to the prohibition of more powerful firearms. The perpetrator had been armed with a pistol, a hand grenade, and an automatic rifle.
Although the laws were bolstered, there have been two subsequent instances of mass shootings in the country. The first occurred in 2010 when a lone gunman took the lives of 12 individuals during a four-hour shooting spree in Cumbria, located in northern England. The most recent incident transpired in 2021, wherein five individuals fell victim to a gunman's attack in Plymouth, situated in southwest England.
Murdock expressed disappointment over the ongoing challenge of achieving comprehensive legislative reforms in the US.
"I am currently leaning towards staying on this side of the Atlantic," said Murdock, aspiring to engage in advocacy efforts concerning subjects such as gun violence, healthcare, and women's rights following graduation.
She added, "It makes me frustrated that the United States has stood by and watched young people be murdered."
