The recent and unpleasant events that struck El Paso on Aug. 3 had created a tense environment for those who felt safest in this city. Just three weeks after the horrific shooting; students, teachers, and other people of the community were startled by a shooting near El Paso High School that occurred on Aug. 22. 

The shooting, as reported by KVIA was a few blocks away from the school on the intersection of River and Virginia. As of now there is no clear motive for the shooting which injured one person. 

Although the shooting was not on school grounds, El Paso High still went into a lockdown, which lasted two hours. At the time of the shooting a freshman football game and dual language ceremony were taking place on campus, along with students just hanging out at the school, waiting for their parents to pick them up.

“I kind of panicked at first, but then little by little it was just like the parents went in because everyone was outside. And then they let them go, then they made all the football players come in, but by then I was already kind of like, ‘you can relax,’” senior Laura Barrios Bardi said about the school sporadically going into a lockdown.

History teacher Mr. Favela was working late on grades when he says, “I was on my way out, and then all of a sudden, I saw cops with big, big, big, guns. And I’m like, what the heck is going on? And I could see the game from here, and so I just saw the kids rush into the building, and I thought the game was over. But then when I saw the cops with those high powered rifles, it gave me a fright,” Mr.Favela said. 

After being secured inside the school safely there was not as much to worry, but what was happening outside was still looming over many people’s minds. Most students were at home but their siblings or parents or friends were still on campus.

“My mom was at the school, and she was telling us that she was going to update us on what was happening. She said that a student had said there was a shooting, they heard gunshots,” sophomore Ashlyne Lera said. “Everyone started freaking out.”

Though the biggest wonder on everyone’s mind was, in light of previous events at Walmart on Aug. 3. Would the same things happened again?

Senior Nathan Chavez expressed his feelings towards the matter, “[T]he fact there’s shootings and guns around where I come to school, I’m actually kind of terrified. Now I’m scared at this point, now that my life is at danger at this point.”

The shooting on River and Virginia was not at the level as the one near Cielo Vista, it still had the community wondering for the safety of those in the area. 

“ It’s too close for comfort. I mean, this is my home.” Mr. Favela said.