The mother of a 14-year-old girl killed in the February 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, is calling for nationwide bipartisan legislation to mandate the use of silent panic alarms for educators in the wake of the Georgia school shooting.
Lori Alhadeff, founder of the nonprofit Make Our Schools Safe, lost her daughter, Alyssa Alhadeff, in the Valentine's Day 2018 shooting where a lone gunman killed 17 people.
Since her daughter's death, she has advocated for the passage of Alyssa's Law, named after her, which would require public schools to install silent alarms that link directly to police.
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Alyssa Alhadeff was 14 years old when a gunman opened fire at her high school in Parkland, Florida. (Lori Alhadeff)
“It's the most horrifying, terrifying experience a parent can have, watching their child get murdered, getting shot,” Alhadeff said in a video interview with Fox News Digital.
“Alyssa was so cold, I remember holding her hand and trying to warm her up and bring her back to life.”
Alhadeff said her daughter wasn't looking forward to the holiday because there isn't one. To cheer her up, she gave Alyssa a chocolate bar and new diamond earrings that morning before school.
“She was so beautiful,” Alhadeff said.
“I told Alyssa I loved her and that was the last time I ever saw her alive.”
Alyssa's parents, Dr. Ilan and Lori Alhadeff, have been working to pass Alyssa's Law across the country. (Lori Alhadeff)
Alhadeff, a former teacher, first learned of the shooting at her daughter's school when she received a text message about the attack.
“Immediately, I felt a sense of loss throughout my body,” she said. “I knew something was terribly wrong.”
Alhadeff described her daughter as an “amazing, vibrant, incredible girl” who had a zest for life and loved going to the beach and shopping with her friends.
“She was just a wonderful person,” Alhadeff said.
According to police, at approximately 10:20 a.m. on September 4, 2024, a 14-year-old lone assailant brought an “AR platform weapon” into Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia, and opened fire.
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Alyssa's Law has been passed in Florida, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Tennessee, Utah and Oklahoma, where Governor Kevin Stitt is pictured with the Alhadeffs and their signed copies of the bill. (Lori Alhadeff)
The victims of this deadly mass shooting included two students, Mason Schermerhorn (14) and Christian Angulo (14), and two teachers, Richard Aspinwall and Christina Armey.
“The policies at this school and the systems that were put into place today prevented a much larger tragedy like what happened here today,” GBI Director Chris Hosey told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.
Teachers at Apalachee High School will be provided with ID badges from Centegix, a cloud-based, wearable safety technology company, and panic buttons worn by teachers and staff will allow school officials to discreetly report emergencies to police.
“I think it's great that they had a wearable panic button,” Alhadeff said, “so when that panic button is pressed, we know that Alissa is helping to save a life.”
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Alhadeff has been working tirelessly to introduce and pass Alyssa’s Law into state law across the United States to provide an additional layer of protection for schools and improve response times for local law enforcement.
When a teacher presses the panic button, Centegix technology broadcasts the emergency or threat to the entire campus in a time when every second counts. School officials are encouraged to follow lockdown protocols, including barricading doors and hiding students and staff.
No Wi-Fi or cell signal is required to alert all staff.
Alyssa's Law has been passed in Florida, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Tennessee, Utah and Oklahoma, and bills have been introduced in Nebraska, Arizona, Virginia, Oregon, Michigan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Alabama and Georgia.
While the bill is being considered in the Peach State, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said at a press conference Wednesday that police only became aware of the shooting when teachers pressed the panic button.
Lori Alhadeff told Fox News Digital on Feb. 14, 2018, that she and her husband, Dr. Ilan Alhadeff, had been desperately searching for their daughter before police told them she had been shot. (WSVN)
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“We are optimistic that Alyssa's Law will continue to be passed in Georgia and other states across the country,” Alhadeff said.
Students who want to advocate for Alyssa’s Law in their state can sign up to start a MOSS club at their high school, and Make Our Schools Safe staff are ready to support students in creating a culture of safety in their schools.
Parents, alumni, and anyone passionate about enacting Alyssa’s Law in their states Send Email Become a MOSS volunteer.
