PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio — Valley Forge High School and Normandy High School in the Parma City School District remain closed on Wednesday following an incident that has rocked the community.
RELATED: Student dies from self-inflicted gunshot in Valley Forge High School cafeteria
District officials and Parma Heights Police confirm an 18-year-old female student died by suicide inside Valley Forge High School on Monday.
In the days since, grief has turned into growing concern, with parents and students now demanding changes to school safety in all district buildings.
Grief counselors are expected to be available Wednesday at Valley Forge High School, as students, staff, and families continue to process the tragedy.
Many parents say they are struggling to understand how a student was able to bring a firearm into the building and remain inside throughout the school day.
“It felt different,” Matthew Myers, a Parma Heights parent, said. “This person had a firearm in the school the entire day, all the way until it was time to leave school. That is concerning.”
Myers, who has three children in the Parma City School District, has launched a Change.org petition calling for the installation of metal detectors in district buildings.
The petition has already gathered more than 800 signatures.
You can find it here.
Myers says that while metal detectors won’t solve every issue, this could be a step toward prevention.
“At least it’s a start, a push in the right direction,” Myers said. “As parents, we should push it in the right direction.”
He also emphasized the need for open and constructive dialogue within the community, as debates over school safety have become heated online.
Students are also voicing fear and frustration to News 5.
Austin Prather, a senior at Valley Forge, says he had class with the student and called her death shocking and tragic.
He described the aftermath as highly traumatic.
“It was very scary. Me and my sisters were very traumatized,” Prather said. “There was a gun in the building. Knowing that, I say there is a serious risk.”
Prather says he supports increased security measures, including metal detectors, and believes changes are needed before students feel safe returning.
“This isn’t something to argue about. It’s something to fix," Prather said.
Parents and community members tell News 5 they are organizing a rally ahead of Thursday’s school board meeting.
It is scheduled for 5 p.m. outside Normandy High School.
Organizers say they plan to push for several changes, including metal detectors, clear bag policies and increased security presence.
Some are also calling for schools to remain canceled for the rest of the week.
In addition to counseling services at Valley Forge from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., community members will have another opportunity for support.
A free event focused on healing and connection will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Parma Powers Library branch.
The event is hosted by Legacies Empowered in partnership with the Office of Violence Prevention.
As the community mourns, many say the focus must now shift to ensuring something like this never happens again.
