'It's somebody's child,' Grief continues as South Florida mourns Parkland victims

PARKLAND, Fla. – Many mourners spent Monday's holiday visiting Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to grieve for the 17 people who lost their lives last week.

The grief there was so real, and so surreal.

"It's somebody's child, it doesn't have to be your own," said Beverly Dombeck. "It's breaking my heart."

Mourners came from all over South Florida. From different zip codes and counties.

"Everybody knew somebody in some way." said one visitor.

They also came from different faiths to offer prayer to the fallen.

One family from Montreal told their children how lucky they are to be from a country with stricter gun laws.

"You're not allowed to buy ammunition or weapons in a Walmart, that's for sure" said Natalie Levy. "You need a license, you need it to be locked up. It's very different from here."

"How do you do that? How do you remove them? I don't know, but I really home somebody does."

Some of those "somebodies" may be the grief and anger-fueled survivors who have started a movement for the 17 that were lost. A large group of Douglas students are headed to Tallahassee to march on the state capitol where some of the most open gun laws in the country have been crafted.

"They're picking up and leading where our generation has failed," said Robert Disney of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Gov. Rick Scott, who has earned an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association, is making good on his promise from last week to schedule meetings and workshops with lawmakers and stakeholders on Tuesday.

However, it is unclear if Scott will visit with the Douglas students.


About the Author:

Glenna Milberg joined Local 10 News in September 1999 to report on South Florida's top stories and community issues. She also serves as co-host on Local 10's public affairs broadcast, "This Week in South Florida."