--- description: A New York prisoner who in 2004 opened fire at his school has lauded the survivors of February's high school massacre in Parkland, Florida title: Jailed School Shooter Praises Parkland Activist-Survivors image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2f77c53e0cdabab8/69892993db29879b7c25ef69/gettyimages-920789940.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Guns](/tag/guns/) ## Guns Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # This Man Is in Prison for Opening Fire in a High School. He Says the Parkland Shooting Survivors Are 'Courageous and Inspiring' by [Joseph Hincks](/author/joseph-hincks/) ## Joseph Hincks Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 5, 2018 2:34 AM CUT  Teenagers hold signs during a "lie-in" demonstration supporting gun control reform near the White House in Washington, DC on Feb. 19, 2018. Teenagers hold signs during a "lie-in" demonstration supporting gun control reform near the White House in Washington, DC on Feb. 19, 2018.Zach Gibson—Getty Images by [Joseph Hincks](/author/joseph-hincks/) ## Joseph Hincks Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 5, 2018 2:34 AM CUT A New York prisoner who, as a teenager, opened fire at his school has lauded the bravery of survivors of February’s high school massacre in Parkland, Florida. Jon Romano was 16 when he brought a pump-action shotgun to his New York high school in 2004\. One teacher was injured when Romano opened fire, but the school’s principal disarmed him before anybody was killed. Romano is now serving time for attempted murder and reckless endangerment, the BBC [reports](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43278654 "undefined"). In a letter sent from his prison to New York’s _Times Union_, Romano, now 30, [wrote](https://www.timesunion.com/7dayarchive/article/NY-school-shooter-supports-gun-control-praises-12723420.php "undefined") that the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were “courageous and inspiring for demanding action from politicians.” After an expelled student [killed 17 classmates and staff](http://time.com/5158678/what-to-know-about-the-active-shooter-situation-at-florida-high-school/ "undefined") with an AR-15 assault rifle, the [Florida students](http://time.com/5177300/school-shooting-survivor-parkland-hope/ "undefined") have lobbied for tighter gun controls and criticized politicians who they say allow the National Rifle Association to buy influence. A student-led March on Washington later this month will draw further attention to the issue. **Read more:** [_Stoneman Douglas Student: How Photography Is Helping Me Cope With This Nightmare_](http://time.com/5182596/parkland-marjory-stoneman-douglas-high-school-shooting-photography-grief/ "undefined") Romano’s letter to an editor at the _Times Union_ came in response to a Feb. 21 column that featured comments from John Sawchuk, the school principal who subdued him. Sawchuk, who Romano calls “a hero who I owe my life to,” said in the column that “a lot of people would have been dead” if Romano had bought an AR-15 or another semi-automatic weapon to school, rather than a shotgun. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5184987/jon-romano-parkland-school-shooting/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5184987/jon-romano-parkland-school-shooting/"},"headline":"This Man Is in Prison for Opening Fire in a High School. 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