The Oakland school shooting occurred at approximately 12:45 pm at the school. No students have been reported as being harmed and the motive of the shooter is yet to be determined. What is known is that this particular institute of learning specifically serves immigrants ages 16-21.
Whether culture clashes led an immigrant to harm others, or this was a hate crime is uncertain. Much speculation is surrounding the situation, and it has not been released whether or not any of the victims are students. Currently, there is no one in custody in connection with this Oakland school shooting and that has left some community members unsettled.
School violence has become a pressing issue during the past few years. With the advent of the nation’s growing youth mental health crisis, and reports determining that more than half of college students suffer from a mental illness, those working to make schools safer have argued over the best plan of action. Despite some leaders’ calls to pass stricter gun laws, the Oakland school shooting took place in the state with some of the strictest gun laws in America.
The gun laws have yet to prevent violence, as California has also worked to defund police in various areas and experienced skyrocketing crime. Oakland school shootings are not uncommon and parents have found that a lack of proper communication between districts and families has only exacerbated the situation. In addition, as many schools have worked to increase school security, the largest teachers union in the country has decried these measures and even proposed an end to school policing.
Thankfully, there have been no fatalities reported in connection with this Oakland school shooting. In addition, families that fear school violence may be eased to know that even though school shooting reports have increased to include isolated incidents unrelated to students, teachers, or districts themselves, school shootings involving students are still increasingly rare. Furthermore, the likelihood of being harmed in a mass school shooting is the same as being struck by lightning.
Dozens of police cars surrounded the Oakland school after the shooting, and the incident was highly serious. How school officials and area lawmakers plan to combat these ongoing problems may likely lead to further gun restrictions, even though school stabbings and physical fights not involving weapons have led students to suffer injuries severe enough to place them in the hospital. It is yet another sign of the times.
California is becoming more highly known for its increasing poverty and violence rates. The Oakland school shooting is just another incident that displays the lack of proper policing, school safety, and community security. As more details are revealed the public will gain a further understanding of just exactly what sparked this particular incident, which may help them find connections to patterns of violence and find more tangible solutions to these life-threatening situations.