7 years since Parkland school shooting marked by day of love and service
PARKLAND - Friday marks seven years since the Parkland massacre.
Across Broward County schools, it is a day of service and remembrance for the 14 students and three staff members who were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, Valentine's Day, in 2018.
Students and staff across the district will participate in a variety of volunteer and service projects in honor of those lives.
At 10:17 a.m., district schools and facilities will pause for a moment of reflection in memory of those who died.
"We will forever hold in our hearts those who died and those who were injured seven years ago," Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn said in statement. "This day serves as a powerful reminder of the strength, resilience and compassion that binds our community and a call to action for all of us to build a future rooted in love, kindness and understanding."
Parkland massacre led to new safety measures
Weeks after the Parkland mass shooting, families got to work to make schools safer to prevent another tragedy from happening.
The minimum age to purchase a gun was raised from 18 to 21, a red flag law was passed, and schools across the state moved to have a single entry, making it harder for outsiders to go into a building.
Another big change is the use of threat reporting apps. In Broward they use Safer Watch and statewide is Fortify Florida. The reporting apps allow students who see concerning behavior to report it to law enforcement and school officials so that they can work together to investigate any concerns.
Many Parkland families are still working to do more. They say the will will continue to fight for what is needed to prevent another tragedy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
San Antonio police were 'premature' in saying Jonathan Joss's murder wasn't a hate crime, police chief says
San Antonio's chief of police is walking back his department's previous claims that there was "no evidence" to suggest Jonathan Joss's death was a hate crime — instead saying that the assertion was "way premature." Police Chief William McManus rescinded the department's previous statement at a press conference Thursday while also apologizing to the LGBTQ+ community for dismissing their concerns. "We issued a statement the day after Jonathan Joss's murder that was way, way, way premature. Shouldn't have done it," he said. "It was way too soon before we had any real information, and I will own that and simply say we shouldn't have done that. It was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued." "We understand that many in the LBGTQ+ [sic] community are feeling anxious and concerned," McManus continued. "A lot of that has to do with that premature statement that we released, and again, I own that. We shouldn't have done it. The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic and most heavily felt by the LBGTQ+ [sic] community." Joss, 59, was an out Indigenous actor known for his roles in comedies such as King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation. He had married his partner, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, just a few months ago on Valentine's Day. The couple had been living in Joss's childhood home for at least two years before it burned down in January. Kern de Gonzales revealed in a Facebook post that he and Joss were "involved in a shooting" when they returned to the site of their former home to check the mail. He claimed that the fire and the shooting occurred "after over two years of threats from people in the area who repeatedly told us they would set it on fire" and that despite reporting the threats to law enforcement multiple times, "nothing was done." Jonathan Joss "When we returned to the site to check our mail we discovered the skull of one of our dogs and its harness placed in clear view," Kern de Gonzales wrote. "This caused both of us severe emotional distress. We began yelling and crying in response to the pain of what we saw. While we were doing this a man approached us. He started yelling violent homophobic slurs at us. He then raised a gun from his lap and fired." Kern de Gonzales asserted in his Facebook post that throughout their time living at Joss's family home as a couple, they "were harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship. Much of the harassment was openly homophobic." He later claimed in an interview with NBC that the accused killer, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, called him and his husband "jotos," a Spanish slur for gay people, before shooting Joss. "He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other," he said in his post. The San Antonio Police Department released a statement shortly after Joss's death claiming that it had uncovered "no evidence" to suggest that the killing was a hate crime, which Kern de Gonzales' statement contested. "SAPD Homicide is currently investigating the murder of Mr. Jonathan Joss," the department wrote. "Despite online claims of this being a hate crime, currently the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that the Mr. Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation." After retracting their previous statement at the Thursday press conference, McManus clarified that the police department doesn't charge hate crimes in Texas. Instead, they "gather the facts and we give those facts to the district attorney's office, then that hate-crime designation is determined at sentencing." "There's also concern about the circumstances surrounding that death and the history in the neighborhood leading up to that," McManus said. "One of the most common questions that we've received is why this case isn't being charged as a hate crime at this point. ... In Texas, hate crimes are not separate charges. Instead, they are addressed through sentencing enhancements." "Our homicide detectives are continuing to pursue every lead in the case to ensure that we understand the full picture of what led up to the senseless murder of Mr. Joss," he added. "We're committed to delivering a thorough and complete investigation."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
San Antonio police were 'premature' in saying Jonathan Joss' murder wasn't a hate crime, police chief says
San Antonio's Chief of Police is walking back his department's previous claims that there was "no evidence" to suggest Jonathan Joss' death was a hate crime — instead saying that the assertion was "way premature." Police Chief William McManus rescinded the department's previous statement at a press conference Thursday while also apologizing to the LGBTQ+ community for dismissing their concerns. "We issued a statement the day after Jonathan Joss' murder that was way, way, way premature. Shouldn't have done it," he said. "It was way too soon before we had any real information, and I will own that and simply say we shouldn't have done that. It was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued." "We understand that many in the LBGTQ+ [sic] community are feeling anxious and concerned," McManus continued. "A lot of that has to do with that premature statement that we released, and again, I own that. We shouldn't have done it. The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic and most heavily felt by the LBGTQ+ [sic] community." Joss, 59, was an out Indigenous actor known for his roles in comedies such as King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation. He had married his partner, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, just a few months ago on Valentine's Day. The couple had been living in Joss' childhood home for at least two years before it burned down in January. Kern de Gonzales revealed in a Facebook post that he and Joss were "involved in a shooting" when they returned to the site of their former home to check the mail. He claimed that the fire and the shooting occurred "after over two years of threats from people in the area who repeatedly told us they would set it on fire," and that despite reporting the threats to law enforcement multiple times, "nothing was done." Jonathan Joss "When we returned to the site to check our mail we discovered the skull of one of our dogs and its harness placed in clear view," Kern de Gonzales wrote. "This caused both of us severe emotional distress. We began yelling and crying in response to the pain of what we saw. While we were doing this a man approached us. He started yelling violent homophobic slurs at us. He then raised a gun from his lap and fired." Kern de Gonzales asserted in his Facebook post that throughout their time living at Joss' family home as a couple, they "were harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship. Much of the harassment was openly homophobic." He later claimed in an interview with NBC that the alleged killer, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, called him and his husband "jotos," a Spanish slur for gay people, before shooting Joss. "He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other," he said in his post. The San Antonio Police Department released a statement shortly after Joss' death claiming that they had uncovered "no evidence" to suggest that the killing was a hate crime, which Kern de Gonzales' statement contested. "SAPD Homicide is currently investigating the murder of Mr. Jonathan Joss," the department wrote. "Despite online claims of this being a hate crime, currently the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that the Mr. Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation." After retracting their previous statement at the Thursday press conference, McManus clarified that the police department doesn't charge hate crimes in Texas. Instead, they "gather the facts and we give those facts to the district attorney's office, then that hate crime designation is determined at sentencing." "There's also concern about the circumstances surrounding that death and the history in the neighborhood leading up to that," McManus said. "One of the most common questions that we've received is why this case isn't being charged as a hate crime at this point ... In Texas, hate crimes are not separate charges. Instead, they are addressed through sentencing enhancements." "Our homicide detectives are continuing to pursue every lead in the case to ensure that we understand the full picture of what led up to the senseless murder of Mr. Joss," he added. "We're committed to delivering a thorough and complete investigation."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
SaferWatch and Clay County Sheriff's Office Launch Crime Tip Rewards Program
New crime prevention initiative offers up to $5,000 for actionable tips submitted through the SaferWatch app or text line that lead to arrests, preventions or the recovery of long-term missing persons. CLAY COUNTY, Fla., June 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Clay County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) and SaferWatch are proud to announce the launch of the SaferWatch Rewards Program, a new public safety initiative designed to encourage community reporting of criminal activity, prevent acts of mass violence and help to find long-term missing persons. The program offers cash rewards for tips that lead to successful law enforcement and public safety outcomes. Through this partnership, SaferWatch has established an initial $50,000 fund for Clay County, Florida, dedicated to rewarding individuals who submit actionable tips through the SaferWatch platform—either via the SaferWatch app, SaferWatch Text Line or a SaferWatch Web Form. Eligible tips may involve criminal investigations, long-term missing persons, or major incidents that result in a confirmed resolution by Clay County Sheriff's Office. "The Clay County Sheriff's Office has been partners with SaferWatch for over 4 years now. We have over 50,000 SaferWatch users in our community and have already seen several success stories come from it. We couldn't be more grateful to help kick off this rewards program," Clay County Sheriff, Michelle Cook said. "If you see something, say something. This is another avenue to help encourage our community to submit valuable information. One tip can make all the difference." Key details of the program include: Rewards of up to $5,000 per case are available for tips submitted through the SaferWatch platform that results in an arrest or advance a long-term investigation. Tips must be original, credible, and submitted by individuals who are not victims or participants in the incident. The Clay County Sheriff's Office determines the reward amounts based on the case and outcome. "This initiative highlights how technology, community engagement and public safety agencies can come together to create a safer world," said Geno Roefaro, CEO of SaferWatch. "We're honored to support and partner with the Clay County Sheriff's Office in launching this impactful program." To submit a tip, simply download the SaferWatch app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, or visit About SaferWatchSaferWatch is a leading public safety platform that empowers individuals, schools, businesses, and law enforcement agencies to communicate, respond, and protect more effectively. Through real-time tip reporting, emergency alerts, panic buttons, and advanced integrations with 911 centers and security systems, SaferWatch helps create safer communities across the country. Learn more at About the Clay County Sheriff's OfficeThe Clay County Sheriff's Office is committed to serving and protecting the residents of Clay County, Florida. With a strong focus on community policing, transparency, and innovation, CCSO works to maintain a safe and secure environment through proactive law enforcement and collaborative partnerships. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE SaferWatch Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
