A New York school shooter recently penned a letter from jail praising Florida students for being ‘courageous and inspiring’ while demanding politicians take action against gun violence.
Jon Romano, who was just 16 years old when he brought a pump-action shotgun to Columbia High School in East Greenbush, wrote to Times Union Executive Rex Smith last week to express his admiration for the Parkland shooting survivors.
Romano, now 30, wrote the letter in response to journalist Chris Churchill’s February 21 column, which featured an interview with hero and Columbia principal John Sawchuk.
New York school shooter, Jon Romano (pictured in 2004) penned a letter from jail praising Florida shooting survivors for being ‘courageous and inspiring’ while demanding politicans take action against gun violence
Romano, now 30, wrote the letter in response to journalist Chris Churchill’s February 21 column, which featured an interview with hero and Columbia principal John Sawchuk (pictured). Sawchuk tackled Romano before he killed anyone
Immediately after Nikolas Cruz, 19, opened fire on his classmates at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, on February 14, student survivors (pictured) began advocating for gun control
Sawchuk tackled Romano and disarmed him 14 years ago before anyone at the school was killed.
In the letter, dated February 24, Romano wrote that Sawchuk ‘is a hero who I owe my life to’.
‘I know that every time another horrible shooting happens, he and all of my victims are hurt all over again by what I did to them,’ Romano admitted.
Cruz (pictured) was charged with the premeditated murder of 17 students
‘I want to take away their pain, but knowing I cannot, I want to prevent others from experiencing this pain’
Romano wrote that he has plans to ‘advocate for gun safety and mental health reform after my release in 2021’.
‘Also, I believe the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL are courageous and inspiring for speaking out and demanding action from politicians.’
Romano then called for the nation to demand ‘life-saving policy changes from their representatives’.
‘Only then could this generation be the last generation that lives in a nation plagued by gun violence,’ he concluded in the letter.
Immediately after Nikolas Cruz, 19, opened fire on his classmates at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, on February 14, student survivors began advocating for gun control.
Cruz was charged with the premeditated murder of 17 students.
On February 9, 2004, Columbia High School went into lockdown around 10.30am after Romano began firing shots.
Romano wrote that he has plans to ‘advocate for gun safety and mental health reform after my release in 2021’. Pictured are activists and students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
On February 9, 2004, Columbia High School (pictured) went into lockdown around 10.30am after Romano began firing shots
He managed to shoot a teacher in the leg after being tackled by Sawchuk, but no one else was seriously hurt. Romano was convicted of attempted murder and reckless endangerment and is currently serving time at the Coxsackie Correctional Facility (pictured)
Romano managed to shoot a teacher in the leg after being tackled by Sawchuk, but no one else was seriously hurt.
In the column, written by Churchill, the journalist asked Sawchuk what he thought the outcome would’ve been if Romano had been armed with an AR-15 assault rifle, similar to the one used in multiple mass shootings in the US.
‘I think a lot of people would have been dead,’ Sawchuk told the newspaper.
Romano was convicted of attempted murder and reckless endangerment.