The Trauma of Mass Shootings: One Activist’s Journey from the US to Scotland
Lane Murdock, a 21-year-old from Connecticut, knows the trauma of living in a country marked by mass shootings. Even after leading a national student strike following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre over five years ago, Murdock still finds herself searching for emergency exits while studying at her Scottish university, despite the rarity of mass shootings in the country.
“It’s devastating, and sometimes I feel guilty that I was able to leave, but I wake up every morning grateful that I did,” she said of the situation in the United States, where nearly 1,500 children and teenagers have been killed by guns so far this year.
In total, the United States has seen over 590 mass shootings this year, with at least 69 school shootings leaving over 600 dead and 2,500 injured. This has resulted in firearms becoming the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the US, surpassing traffic accidents.
Having been a high school student in Ridgefield, Connecticut, during the Valentine’s Day 2018 Parkland, Florida shooting, Murdock led a movement to organize a national student strike on the anniversary of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. The strike gained traction across the country, with thousands of schools participating and led to the passing of 67 new gun laws by Republican and Democratic lawmakers in 26 states and Washington.
Despite the impact of her activism, Murdock questions whether it was enough, especially after the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022, where 19 fourth-grade students and two teachers were fatally shot.
In August 2020, Murdock moved to Scotland to study, where she feels a significant contrast in outlook towards gun violence. Having adapted to Scottish life, she shares a stark contrast in the number of homicides caused by firearms in Scotland compared to the United States. In the 2022-2023 period, there were 52 homicides in Scotland, with sharp instruments being the primary method of murder in 58% of cases.
Reflecting on the impact of gun legislation in Scotland, Murdock noted that her peers there don’t have the same anxiety and fears that she grew up with and still has, highlighting the stark differences between the two countries’ approach to gun control.
Despite the contrast, Murdock remains focused on pursuing activism on issues such as gun violence, healthcare, and women’s rights after graduating, expressing frustration at the lack of action in the United States to prevent tragic events like mass shootings.
As she looks towards the future, Murdock hopes that the US will take more significant steps to prevent gun violence and protect young people.