According to ABC News  on average, there is 1 school shooting a week in the country. Triton is 8 weeks into the school year and a lockdown has not practiced.

“We’ve been very lucky,” said Ms. Kathryn Dawe, assistant principal. “I’m not sure what there plan is,” said Dawe talking about the Safety Committee , later adding, “I’m quite sure it [a lockdown] will be coming.” With first quarter progress reports already out that indicates Triton is already an eighth of the way through the school year and a lockdown drill has not been conducted.

“It’s not necessarily that we needed to get one in this year,” said Officer John Lucey, talking about lockdowns.

“By now I would say we should have had a lockdown for the safety measure of the new freshman who may be unsure of what it can be like in high school,” said Junior Carisa Boyle.

According to Mass Shooter Tracker, in just September and October there have been 59 mass shootings in the US.

Many schools have taught students to practice evacuation lockdowns.  Triton has only practiced shelter-in-places this year and stay-in-place and hide lockdowns in previous years.  

“I think it’s very sad that our country is in the state that we’re in right now. I think it creates a very fearful environment and people have to worry about just even walking down the street, that you can’t just live your life and be able to enjoy the things that we should be able to enjoy as citizens, and it’s just really scary,” Dawe said.

You must use a buzzer to get into Triton from the front door but from there it’s fairly easy to pass the office and go straight into the school. There is also the side door that is always unlocked. Anyone could get in. Although Officer Lucey is always here at Triton to maintain the safety of the school there are more than 10 doors at the high school and his office is on the other side of the school.

“I think we do a pretty decent job with security around here, but as we all know, if somebody really wanted to get in no matter where you are, they would find a way to do it. But I do think it does makes us be much more vigilant about our procedures and our way of doing things in the building,” said Dawe.

Some students that were interviewed fear that a shooting could happen at our school. “It scares me because this is really common right now and it could happen to any school,” said freshman Meaghan Riccio.

“We need to be more prepared. I think it could happen at like any school,” said senior Zoey Cesati.

Lucey said that practicing lockdowns is “not necessarily one that we need to do first thing, at the beginning of the year or later in the year we try to plan it when we think it’s convenient,” later adding, “there will be one this year.”