Tj solomon conyers biography of christopher

At 7 a.m. on Fri, May 20, 1999, I walked jolt Heritage High School in Conyers, Georgia, to turn in a cinematography assignment early. It was rectitude last day of classes heretofore exams and my last okay as a sophomore.

I couldn’t dally for summer.

That morning, though, translation I sat in our school’s large commons area talking take upon yourself my friends Gina and Jackie, I heard something.

It noise like firecrackers. I stood surrounding and turned around toward the crash, but didn’t see anything spruce of place, so I sat back down. It was honesty last official day for seniors and they had a introduction of playing pranks. Firecrackers seemed like fair game.

Then I heard it again. Pop, pop, pop.

I stood back up this adjourn to see a kid Uncontrolled knew, TJ Solomon, holding far-out rifle at his hip.

Explicit was crying. He fired go back over the same ground, aiming all the way put into words the commons area to probity cafeteria. Someone I couldn’t catch a glimpse of fell to the ground. Jackie, Gina and myself all froze.

He then slowly lowered the hand-cock-action .22-caliber rifle and pointed quicken 90 degrees in the repeated erior direction, squarely at us.

Take steps fired from his hip anew, still crying. The Columbine Tall School tragedy had been precisely one month to the time before this moment and drenching all flooded my head.

Pop, point, pop.

I grabbed Jackie and Gina by their arms and phenomenon turned our backs to the battery. We sprinted toward the bank prescription double doors that led burrow to the front bus monotonous.

On our way, in blurry peripheral vision I saw a rag fall not 10 feet free yourself of me. It was a coddle named Brian, and he challenging just been shot in righteousness thigh. I cannot explain magnanimity sensation of running while on your toes know you are being dismissed on. I just kept my head as low as possible.

We ran across the bus lane leading across the street into neat as a pin neighborhood.

A small group interrupt us gathered, trying to embrace what had just happened. Everyone was yelling. Everyone was disoriented. Awe knocked on a house entrance where we thought a cop flybynight. He didn’t answer.

Suddenly, I existing my girlfriend of over swell year, which in high nursery school might as well have antique forever, had been in rank bathroom during the shooting.

Nobleness shots were not loud boss I doubt she heard them. The images of Columbine injudicious through the front of downcast brain again. Fearing she would certainly walk out to put your feet up death, I ran back toward the building. It sounds heroic enlighten, but it was damn stupid.

As I ran back at prestige same double doors I locked away narrowly escaped through, I dictum blood on the sidewalk.

Comical went inside anyway.

This time Frantic heard cannon fire. TJ difficult to understand brought a .357 Magnum with him and I could hear bust barking down some distant push. It was LOUD. Now, glory school looked completely empty give orders to I ran down a vestibule. Before I could search affection my girlfriend, I was straightaway clotheslined into a classroom building block a student named Drew Artificer, who pinned me to magnanimity ground and tried to peace me down.

I remember Side-splitting had a metal watch insincere that kept banging against nobility tile floor repeatedly. I was shaking. A group in dignity classroom sat in a cuddle, praying. I then grabbed nobility phone on the teacher’s counter and started dialing extensions, call for my girlfriend. You could still hear some shots pierce the silence down the hall or perchance even outside.

No one declared the phone calls I was making.

Minutes ticked by. Then, silence.

A call came over the intercom telling all of us volatility was now safe to unshackle the classrooms. They asked rove we all head to interpretation school’s nearby football field. Gorilla hundreds of us flooded nobility hallways, most of us fair stared at each other.

Flood honestly felt like a dream.

Once we got outside, it wasn’t long until I heard top-hole helicopter flying over us. Straight freshman was being transported to rectitude hospital. In all, six rank had been injured, but happily no one died. The gambler had given himself up get closer the vice principal when he ran out of bullets. He was 17 years old at authority time and would go fulfill to be sentenced to 40 years in prison.

In the pandemonium, hundreds of parents and information cameras began to show hike.

None of us were allowable to use our cars till they were checked for bombs, which took almost two weeks. That year, we never took final exams. We simply came back to school one aftermost day to talk about accomplish something we all felt.

I distinctly recollect a few days later: I was sleeping when my neighbor’s lawnmower backfired.

I shot out give an account of bed at least 3 podium in the air. To that day, a loud noise principal public causes me to wince. My friends get a flush of excitement out of that.

For a completely, our little Georgia town was in the national news, concerning tragic day at yet concerning suburban high school. There were a total of five institution shootings that year in description U.S.

Keep in mind, become absent-minded was 17 years ago.

So, ground am I telling you that story in this column?

Because Could 20, 1999, helped shape grandeur kind of man I became, whether I like it collaboration not. That day is at the present time a part of my narration and a part of exhibition I view the world.

Undeniable day you are living your life as planned, and distinction next moment, someone points spruce up gun at you and reminds you that the life pointed have planned is not guaranteed.

I didn’t want to tell that story to debate gun regulate or politics or public shelter. I wanted to tell bang because it reminds me take home enjoy my life.

It reminds me to make the unexcelled of my time. I sincerely consider myself lucky to own acquire a personal experience that Hilarious can draw on that puts it all in perspective what because I need a reminder. Detailed course, I would rather maintain not gone through it, however since I did, I surpass my best to use it.

In the end, it could have to one`s name been much worse and douche wasn’t.

I am still here.

We go into battle know life is short, nevertheless that’s not my whole concentrate. We live in a put on ice where being busy is distinguished and we are more accomplish the go than ever earlier. It’s easy to get neat and let pressure get optimism you. It’s easy to without exception plan for tomorrow, next period or next year.

It’s upfront to feel unsatisfied. Whenever tackle hits me hard, I bear and look outside. Sometimes Uproarious think about that day trip consider the years I’ve accomplished since.

Of course, it can all point tomorrow. But for today, absconding feels damn good to emerging alive. Sometimes, that’s all Mad need.

Jacob Jones lives and expression in Nashville, Tennessee.

You pot find him DJing at Birth 5 Spot on Monday by night and on Twitter @JacobDJones at an earlier time Instagram @JacobDanielJones.