From Mayor Friedberg’s blog post:
We’re all shocked and devastated by this afternoon’s senseless tragedy at Bellaire High School. Our hearts are foremost with the victim and his family, and we stand together in solidarity with the entire BHS community in mourning this horrific loss. The City of Bellaire is working with and will continue to provide our support to school administration and HISD, now and in the days to come.
School shootings take place with such alarming frequency, it’s easy to become desensitized and lulled into complacency. We see it on TV, and while we know it can happen anywhere, it’s not supposed to happen here. Yet today it has.
As a parent, I’m positively stricken having to explain to my young children the events of today, and the harsh realities of the world in which they live. I’m shaken to my very core, seeing their innocence abruptly taken from them. I honestly don’t know how to answer all their questions, or to give them the reassurance they need when I’m not always so sure myself. I can’t help but hold them tighter.
As a neighbor, I’m in stunned disbelief that this has happened right here, that one of our own kids won’t be coming home tonight. I feel an overwhelming sense of sadness for all the students and their families, for whom everything has forever changed. School is supposed to be a safe place, but our very basic sense of security now gives way to worry. We owe it to our children to find some way to restore it.
In times of crisis we’ve shown what it means to be a community. We’re here for each other, and will move forward together through this difficult time. We’re thankful for our first responders and for all they’ve done today, and will continue to hold near and pray for the victim and his family.
Andrew S. Friedberg
Mayor
City of Bellaire
