"All in mourning": East High School students demand change after Luis Garcia's death
It's been a tough day to go to school. Not just books, students carried flowers on Thursday at one high school in Denver.
Hundreds of East High School students gathered around a memorial for one of their own.
Max Aceveda said, "We are all in mourning, it's horrible because a lot of people knew him and a lot of people cared for him."
Garcia, 16, was taken off life support on Wednesday. He was shot on Feb. 13 near the school. A motive is still not clear. Two juveniles are in custody but have not been charged with his death.
So many bouquets of flowers cover the memorial it's hard to count. Students created signs to bring to the state Capitol. One reads, "I should be writing my college essay, not my will."
Sophia Davison Wilkins is one of the "East Angels Against Gun Violence," "We are asking students to speak up and encourage adults in our community to pass laws, pass bills."
The shooting near East High School has led to a more significant push on state legislators.
Andrea Wilkins with the League of Women Voters and an East High School parent wants new laws.
"I think increasing the age for possession of certain firearms, increasing waiting to purchase weapons, strengthening the red flags laws..." she mentioned as options to curb youth violence.
East High student Charlotte Smy added, "We are all just coming together as a community, which is nice but sad."
The rally will be held across the street from the state Capitol at the First Baptist Church of Denver, 1373 Grant St. beginning at 9 a.m. Friday.
Anyone with information on Luis Garcia's murder should contact police or Denver Metro Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
