FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Survivors of the Parkland shooting took the witness stand to speak about the harrowing moments the gunman fired into their classroom.
Their lives were changed forever, and many of them are living with the mental and physical pain from that tragic day.
On Wednesday, some of the students who have been forever connected by tragedy bravely sat in the same room with the man who nearly took their lives.
“It started out great. It was a happy day. It was Valentine’s Day, and the kids were bringing candy and stuffed animals,” said Ivy Schamus
Feb. 14, 2018, Schamus was in room 1214 teaching her 90-minute history of the Holocaust class. Two of her students testified in the penalty trial of the confessed shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Schamus recounted one student’s joy at recognizing a key figure around Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics.
“Nicolas Dworet in my class raised his hands, and he got excited and said, ‘I know who Adolf Dassler is, he was the German shoemaker, he owned a shoe factory and who started the Adidas company,'” said Schamus
Moments later, an awful, loud sound was heard coming from the hallway.
“I didn’t move initially because I was unsure of what I heard, I was unsure if there was any danger, but one of my friends, she tapped my shoulder and said my name, and that’s when I knew this was something serious, and I should go and hide,” said Samantha Grady.
Some of those students spoke to 7News.
On that day, 30 students in that room tried desperately to find a place to get safe, but soon there was no place to hide. In seconds, the barrel of the AR-15 was through the door.
“And just shooting everywhere. It was extremely loud. It was very frightening, and I kept thinking about these kids that should not be experiencing this at all,” said Schamus.
“I moved back into the podium,” said Samantha Fuentes, “and was facing a few of my classmates, two of which were shot dead, um, right next to me. Nick Dworet and Helena Ramsey.”
Their pictures were shown to the witnesses and the jury.
The defense argued against having the photos of the victims shown in court.
The judge sided with the prosecution and the photos were shown.
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