Brown University Survivors Confront Unthinkable Trauma in Second Campus Shooting

Two Brown University students faced a devastating repeat of history. Mia Tretta and Zoe Weissman survived separate school shootings as teenagers. They endured another lockdown after a deadly shooting on their Providence campus.

A gunman opened fire at Brown on December 13. The incident left two people dead and eight others injured. For Tretta and Weissman, the trauma was hauntingly familiar.

From Saugus to Brown: A Survivor’s Relived Nightmare

Mia Tretta is a 21-year-old student. She was studying in her dorm when the alerts came. According to The New York Times, she had planned to study in the engineering building where the shooting occurred. She changed her mind at the last minute because she was tired.

This decision may have saved her life. Tretta is a survivor of the 2019 Saugus High School shooting in California. She was shot in the abdomen during that attack. Her best friend was among the two students killed.

After the Brown shooting, Tretta expressed her anguish on social media. She wrote about missing her carefree childhood self. Her mother also posted, expressing fury that her daughter faced this danger again.

The Parkland Witness Faces Violence Again at University

Zoe Weissman is a 20-year-old medical anthropology student. She witnessed the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. She was in a neighboring middle school when 17 people were killed.

The Brown University shooting shattered her sense of safety. She described the campus as her “safe haven away from my trauma.” In an interview with CNN, she stated she felt both numb and angry.

Her story underscores a tragic national pattern. Young people who escape one shooting are not guaranteed safety elsewhere. Campus life, often seen as a refuge, can become another site of terror.

A Broader Crisis of Repeated Trauma for Students

The experiences of Tretta and Weissman are not isolated. They highlight a growing segment of American youth. These individuals carry the profound psychological weight of gun violence through their lives.

Tretta has become a vocal advocate. She has worked with Everytown for Gun Safety and met with President Biden. She emphasizes that trauma affects entire communities, not just direct victims.

Universities are now grappling with how to support such students. The need for specialized mental health resources is critical. This incident forces a national conversation on protecting those already scarred.

This repeated trauma for school shooting survivors like those at Brown University reveals a deepening national crisis. Their courage highlights an urgent need for change and comprehensive support.

Thought you’d like to know

Who are the two Brown University students mentioned?

They are Mia Tretta, a survivor of the 2019 Saugus High School shooting, and Zoe Weissman, a witness to the 2018 Parkland school shooting. Both were on campus during the December 13 Brown University shooting.

What happened during the Brown University shooting?

A gunman opened fire on the Providence, Rhode Island campus. The attack resulted in two fatalities and eight people injured. A suspect was taken into custody by police.

How did Mia Tretta survive the Saugus shooting?

Tretta was shot in the abdomen during the 2019 attack at her California high school. She survived, but her best friend was one of the two students killed in that incident.

What has been the response from the students?

Both students have shared their grief and anger on social media. They described feeling a devastating sense of familiarity and a loss of safety.

Why is this story significant?

It illustrates the recurring trauma faced by a generation exposed to school shootings. Survivors are confronting the same threat in different stages of their education.

What advocacy work has Mia Tretta done?

Following her first shooting, Tretta became a gun safety advocate. She has worked with Everytown for Gun Safety and shared her story with lawmakers in Washington.