School shooter Jon Romano turns off commenting on viral TikTok account, complaining that he’s being bullied online
- Jon Romano, who goes by ‘Jon Seeking Peace’ on TikTok, was 16 when he opened fire at Columbia High School in New York in 2004
- He posted a video showing the school’s hallways in the aftermath ‘for educational purposes’
- The 35-year-old served 20 years in prison and, since his release, has amassed 254,000 followers
A school shooter who served 20 years in prison has complained that he’s being harassed online after he shared a TikTok of the aftermath of the shooting, showing the hallways where he terrorized his classmates.
Jon Romano, who goes by ‘Jon Seeking Peace’ on TikTok, was 16 when he opened fire at Columbia High School in New York in 2004, leaving one teacher injured.
The 35-year-old was released in December 2020 and has since amassed 254,000 followers on TikTok, where he claims to work for violence prevention. His bio reads: ‘After being a part of the problem, it’s time to be a part of the solution.’
Romano turned his comments off earlier this month after he posted a video showing the school’s hallways following the shooting ‘for educational purposes.’ In the chilling clip, Romano narrates his actions as he moved through the school with the weapon, leaving students traumatized.
‘This is the view I had down the hall when I came around the corner. Two students came around the other corner and I fired up and away from them, hitting the higher part of the wall, and you’ll see where it hit up in the ceiling,’ Romano says on the clip.
Jon Romano, who goes by ‘Jon Seeking Peace’ on TikTok, was 16 when he opened fire at Columbia High School in New York in 2004, leaving one teacher injured
The 35-year-old was released in December 2020 and has since amassed 254,000 followers on TikTok. Pictured: Romano aged 16 being led away in cuffs after the shooting at Columbia High School in East Greenbush, New York, on February 4, 2004
‘My intent was not to kill but to die in front of other people and I knew that I’d be traumatizing them, which I did. I wanted to share my pain with others and I regret it more than anything, but I want people to know what happened that day,’ he added.
‘I just wanted to see people and have them see me. I can’t justify what I did, but my intent was not to kill.’
Romano went on to say that he spared the lives of several terrified students who crossed his path during the shooting, noting that he only fired the weapon at walls and the ceiling.
But many have taken issue with Romano’s use of social media, expressing outrage at his content, and particularly the video of the school’s hallway taken right after the shooting.
‘My comment section’s been turned off because anybody who said anything slightly supportive of me was getting harassed and even threatened, and this includes some of my former classmates who were there the day of the shooting and now support what I’m doing today trying to prevent future shootings… So, no, we’re not going to do that.’
Before turning off his comments, social media users slammed Romano for his videos.
In the chilling clip, Romano narrates his actions as he moved through the school with the weapon, leaving students traumatized
This is police video footage showing the hallway and the physical evidence of what happened #jonromano
One TikTok user who goes by youcancallmekait said: ‘This man should not have a platform. You said that your victims are retraumatized every time there’s a mass event. Don’t you think just seeing you is triggering? I don’t believe you for a second that you actually want to help. You just want attention.’
Another added: He is not some healed person. He is not reformed. He is not rehabilitated.. So stop giving him a platform. Stop rushing to his defense.’
A third user asked: ‘Why is there an admitted school shooter on here?’
To which Romano replied: ‘Well because I want to help prevent future school shootings.’
Romano was stopped by the principal of the school, John Sawchuk, who tried to take the weapon from him. During the struggle, the gun went off and injured a teacher who was nearby.
Back in 2018, after the Parkland high school shooting, Romano penned a letter from jail praising Florida students for being ‘courageous and inspiring’ while demanding politicians take action against gun violence.
He wrote the letter in response to journalist Chris Churchill’s February 21 column, which featured an interview with hero and Columbia principal Sawchuk.
Romano was stopped by the principal of the school, John Sawchuk (pictured), who tried to take the weapon from him
Romano wrote that Sawchuk ‘is a hero who I owe my life to.’
‘I know that every time another horrible shooting happens, he and all of my victims are hurt all over again by what I did to them,’ he admitted.
‘I want to take away their pain, but knowing I cannot, I want to prevent others from experiencing this pain.’
Romano wrote that he had plans to ‘advocate for gun safety and mental health reform after my release.’
‘Also, I believe the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL are courageous and inspiring for speaking out and demanding action from politicians.’
Romano then called for the nation to demand ‘life-saving policy changes from their representatives’.
‘Only then could this generation be the last generation that lives in a nation plagued by gun violence,’ he concluded in the letter.
Romano then called for the nation to demand ‘life-saving policy changes from their representatives’.
‘Only then could this generation be the last generation that lives in a nation plagued by gun violence,’ he concluded in the letter.
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