Aztec High School Shooting

Thursday December 7, 2017;

My account of the Aztec High School Shooting.
For the sake of privacy I have changed the names of the people involved in my story. 

By: Breanna Aeschlimann 

/I was not there, I was home schooled/

Today started out like any other. There was nothing to separate it from the countless others I'd lived through with nothing to distinguish it as any different. I'd said this a lot today; '24 hours ago, we were living in a completely different world.' 

I had just finished getting ready for physical therapy and sat down at the table to get some math in before I left. My dad, whom had just come home from working the graveyard shift at his job, came running out of his room. "Go to kob." (our local news station) he says. I was so confused in that moment all I could say was, "what?".

"There's been a shooting at the Aztec High School, go to kob.com now." The only thought that was running through my mind was, 'Surely not.' And as I pulled up the web page on my laptop, the world around me slowed and my heart stopped. 

"Devolving: Shooting at Aztec High School" the headline read. 

My hands flew to my phone and I was texting everyone on my contact list who attended the high school, it didn't matter if we hadn't talked in years, such as my ex-boyfriend and people who had simply drifted away. I had to know if everyone I knew was alright. 

I kept returning to the kob web page and reloading it to get information. Soon the headline changed, and my heart sank. 

"Three Dead, Fifteen Injured at Aztec High School Shooting" 

Looking back to my phone I noticed Kim hadn't replied yet, and I didn't have Lilly's (Kim's best friend) number. I did the only thing I could think of and called Lilly's older sister and my best friend Ally. 

She answered on the first ring. She sounded much like myself, who had been crying and on the verge of panic. We were scared and stressed and an all around mess. 

The first thing I asked was if her sister was fine, which I was much relieved to hear was alright, as was Kim. We chatted idly before she had to get off the phone. I remember telling her to "give your sister a hug when she gets home." 

I returned to the computer where I frequented the reload button looking for more information. I had by this time received word from lost everybody I knew that they were alright. 

Due to there being a fatal shooting schools in the Bloomfield, Aztec, and Farmington area where under lock-down. Aztec schools were cancelled shortly after 11:00. 

I went with my mom to pick up my siblings from Mosaic Academy. They had no clue what was going on, my 13 year sister was (understandably) confused, and as for my 7 year old brother, he was blissfully unaware. 

I had stopped to speak with an old classmate of mine and she had asked if I knew if anyone was injured. I responded telling her that 3 were dead and 15 were injured. At this my little sister must've expressed confusion and my mom told her what had happened. 

Once home my mom and I (at our employers wish) began to call every high school student who attended the dance academy and check up on them and then tell them classes were canceled.My mom made up a flyer to go in the window at the dance studio which read: 'In light of today's tragedy there will be no class so the students and be home with their families.' 

As soon as we were done I walked down the plaza to the salon located at the end. Susan's (A girl in my dance class) grandmother owned the place and she, being home schooled and in middle school, was probably worried sick as she was in the advanced classes with us high schoolers. I asked that her grandmother give her word that we were all okay and give her peace of mind. 

Later, as I was at home, Ally's mother had posted on Facebook that the girl who died had been one of Ally's old friends. Needles to say, I called her immediately. To say she sounded awful would the understatement of the century. She sound like a wreck, and had every right to. I wanted nothing more than in that moment then to give her a hug. 

After condoling her for a while I biked over to my other friend, Cindy's house. I rode over there so fast and so hard my heel came off the pedal which caused it (the pedal) to hit my heel, cutting it. I didn't care then, and still don't now.

I threw my bike down and rushed in the front door. (We were at each others houses so often we hardly bothered knocking.) I went straight to Cindy and gave her a hug. Then went around to both her sister Miley and Miley's boyfriend. After that we stayed on their couch under blankets simply watching Hardy Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone while talking among ourselves saying, "Did that really happen?" And such. 

Eventually Miley and I opened the news on our phones just to see, and I cannot describe the feeling of seeing your hometown highs school's photo underneath the headline: "Deadly School Shooting In New Mexico". It is simply indescribable.

My other friend, who live in Albuquerque called around 4:17. She was in tears. She was asking over and over again if everyone was okay. She told me after her mother had found out she'd (her mother) called the school and told them to tell her. Sarah told me she was called to the office and "though nothing of it." When they told her, she said she was in total disbelief before she broke down in tears. 

After I'd returned to my home I got dresses for a cold winters night and went to the vigil. As i was preparing I thought to myself, 'Never thought I'd be standing her, getting ready to go to a vigil for a school shooting in my hometown. 

Let me give you a little information. Aztec is just a little blip on the map between Farmington and Albuquerque. You can't even find it on your average New Mexico map it's so insignificant. Sometimes you'll see a headline like: Aztec Wins State Championship, and you're all "who?" 

At the vigil we remembered the two individuals who lost their live today, a cheerleader and an up and coming football player.  We sang Amazing Grace and had a candlelight memorial. The Mayor of Aztec spoke, along with the chief of police, the executive of the high school, a few pastors from nearby churches, and our Governor, Susan Martinez. She read a verse or two from the book of Psalms. 

During the press conference that was held regarding the event, Governor Martinez stated that even the White House had called offering their condolences and support. I honestly didn't think the higher up government would care about this, Aztec being such a small place. 

I also learned after I returned home that we were in the news in San Diego, California and As far as Boston, Massachusetts. I hardly doubt our little town had ever seen so much publicity. I only wish it were under better circumstances.

Regardless, everyone I spoke to this day was either in a state of shock, disbelief, or grief. There where tears all through our town. It's always something you hear about happening in big cities and places like that. It always happens to other people. Not to you. But when it does happen to you, you're in a state of utter disbelief. You just don't understand. Things like this don't just happen. It's awful.