Lyrics:
A shooter's on the loose,
He's got his gun,
It's pointed at you.
He pulled the fire alarm,
To get you into the hall.
Run back to your class,
And lock your doors, hide under your desk.
A shooter's on the loose,
And he doesn't care who he kills.

A shooter's on the loose,
He's brought his gun back to his old school.
He's got some clips attached,
And he's gonna use them all.
Run back to your class,
And lock your doors, turn out the lights,
And don't make a sound
A shooter's on the loose,
And he doesn't care who he kills.

(Lead)

A shooter's on the loose,
And he doesn't care who he kills.
A shooter's on the loose,
And he's killing for the thrill.

How did he get his automatic gun with all those rounds?
How did he get his gun when he's mentally unsound?

A shooter's on the loose,
He's got his gun,
It's pointed at you.
He pulled the fire alarm,
To get you into the hall.
Run back to your class,
And lock your doors, hide under your desk.
A shooter's on the loose,
And he doesn't care who he kills.

(17 snare shots representing the 17 staff and students who were killed)

T. Wigmore, 2018

Troubled by the shooting deaths of 17 students and staff at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Florida 3 days ago, I felt the need to chase some demons about the issue of gun violence in schools. I spent my career in high schools, and we used to to rehearsed the "bomb threat" codes, and the "intruder" codes, always hoping this was just being safe and being prepared, but that we'd never have to use the drills in reality.

Although I have a position on guns and mental health. poverty, cuts to the social nets, this song simply retells the story using the drills as a framework of understanding the event. The middle does ask the 2 questions that seem to dominate the discussion.

A simple minor key structure allows a story to be narrated, and Keith Allen agreed to work on a bass and additional guitars to fill it out.

Comments about schools, challenges to the educational system, guns, teens, mental health, politics/legislation or other feelings about the issue, are welcomed.

* the seventeen snare pops at the end of the song are representative of the seventeen fatalities of this shooting. Condolences to all the grieving families. A special note to the families of the teachers, coaches and staff who helped save dozens by their selfless acts of bravery under fire.