Two School Shootings, One Mission: Survivor-Activist Champions Gun-Safety Reform

Two school shootings, two years apart, shaped the life of a Brown University student who is now turning trauma into advocacy for gun-safety reform. Mia Tretta, who chairs Brown’s Students Demand Action chapter, says the incidents—Saugus High School in 2019 and the Brown University shooting in 2023—illustrate why advocates say policy change is urgent across the country.

At Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California, on Nov. 14, 2019, an older student opened fire, killing a classmate and wounding several others as students gathered in the quad. Tretta, then a 15-year-old freshman, described running to a Spanish classroom while gunfire echoed around the campus. She was shot in the stomach and airlifted to a hospital with a .45-caliber bullet lodged inside her. Her best friend, Dominic, was killed beside her, a loss that has haunted her ever since. The campus was crowded with the usual mix of nerves about grades and dances, suddenly replaced by the sounds of sirens and a rapid shift to lockdown.

On Dec. 13, 2023, Brown University in Providence experienced another active shooter incident that killed two students and wounded nine others as students studied in dorms and libraries. Tretta and her classmates faced a fresh round of alerts as they prepared for finals; the campus was evacuated and students were urged to shelter in place as the threat unfolded. The university community grappled with the same questions that followed Saugus: How can a learning environment be made safe, and how can survivors make sense of a day that ends with more questions than answers? The Brown shooting reinforced Tretta’s conviction that campuses must address gun violence beyond thoughts and prayers.

Since the Brown shooting, Tretta has turned personal trauma into public action. She leads Brown’s Students Demand Action chapter and has become a visible voice in the push for safer gun laws and accountability for the gun industry. Her work extends beyond campus borders: earlier this year, she joined Rhode Islanders from across the state to advocate for an assault weapons ban. Rhode Island lawmakers, responding to a wave of student-led activism, passed the state’s first assault weapons ban in June 2025, a move Tretta described as a crucial step toward preventing further tragedy. The signing ceremony at the Rhode Island State House drew student organizers, lawmakers, and gun-violence survivors alike, marking a moment many hope will catalyze broader reform across the country.

The author at the Rhode Island State House for the passage of the assault weapons ban on June 21, 2025. Mia Tretta

Tretta has been explicit about what she believes remains to be done. She has argued that momentum must extend beyond a single legislative victory and that policies should reflect the lived experiences of students who have lived through school shootings. Her message is tailored for every classroom, in Rhode Island and nationwide: safety cannot be an afterthought, and accountability for gun violence must accompany any promise of reform. She emphasizes the ongoing work required to protect younger siblings, like her 12-year-old brother, and to ensure that every student can pursue education without the shadow of violence over their daily routines.

This moment, she says, demands more than thoughts and prayers. Our grief must turn into action. Tretta notes that while policy wins like Rhode Island’s assault weapons ban are essential, lasting safety will require sustained advocacy, robust enforcement, and continued dialogue with communities, educators, and lawmakers across the country. Her own path—from a freshman at Saugus to a college student leading a statewide gun-safety movement—offers a stark reminder of how individual experiences can translate into collective action that seeks to protect generations of students. Tretta’s story underscores the urgency of turning tragedy into policy that protects classrooms, dormitories, and study spaces everywhere, so that no student again has to wonder if going to school could be a life-threatening risk for themselves or their peers.