David Hogg is 17 and a survivor of one of the deadliest mass shootings in United States history — and he's letting lawmakers know he wants action.
"We're children," the senior said live on CNN. "You guys are the adults. You need to take some action and play a role. Work together. Come over your politics and get something done."
Hogg, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 students were killed Wednesday, has been a mainstay on cable television for the past 24 hours, telling his story and calling on lawmakers to take some action to stop massive school shootings like the one that happened at his school.
He told CNN he and others hid in a classroom after shots rang out during his AP environmental science class. The chief of the school's student television station, he flipped on a camera and recorded a message in a darkened room. There, he described the situation in real-time as "life or death" and later told NBC he recorded the message in the event he and others died.
“People get used to what’s going on and that’s not OK," he said on MSNBC. "We’re habituating to this and what happens when we do that is children are dying and they will continue to die unless we stop it. Stand up and take action.”
Peering into the CNN camera, he gave specific directions to Congress and lawmakers.
"Any action at this point, instead of complete stagnancy and blaming the other side of the political aisle, would be a step in the right direction," he said. "And working together to save these children’s lives is what this country needs.”
Contributing: Associated Press
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