Tampa Mom’s Fear and Concern for Sons at Florida State University After Shooting

FLORIDA — The recent shooting at Florida State University has left parents like Sarah Lesch on edge, as fears of campus violence have become a harsh reality for many families. Lesch, a mother of three from Tampa, received the alert about the shooting through the university’s notification system, causing immediate concern for her two sons who attend F-S-U.

With one son set to graduate this year, Lesch’s anxiety was heightened as she waited to hear from her children during the lockdown. One son even made the decision to go pick up his younger brother, putting himself in harm’s way as he waited in his car near the student union where the shootings took place.

For Lesch and her family, the shooting brought back memories of school drills and the constant worry of potential violence on campus. Her youngest son, a sophomore, was on lockdown in a classroom just across from where the shootings occurred, leaving him shaken by the experience.

As the details of the shooting remain unclear, the Lesch family is still processing the traumatic event. Despite always feeling that F-S-U was a safe campus, the shooting serves as a stark reminder that no place is immune to violence.

“I feel like this could happen on any American campus,” Lesch said. “We have a lot of friends that live overseas, and they get very concerned when they think about their kids coming to school in this country because it’s a little bit different here.”

The shooting at F-S-U has not only impacted the Lesch family but has also sparked conversations within the Tampa Bay community about campus safety and the need for increased security measures. As parents and students grapple with the aftermath of the shooting, the incident serves as a sobering reminder of the harsh realities of gun violence in America.