Carly Novell: 70 Years After Her Grandpa Survived First US Mass Shooting, Parkland Survivor Does The Same

Carly Novell, a student survivor of the horrific Parkland school carnage, recalled the time when her grandfather, Charles Cohen, survived the first reported mass shooting in America’s history by hiding in a closet almost 70 years ago in 1949. On Wednesday, when reported gunman Nikolas Cruz sprayed bullets at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School using an AR-15, Carly managed to escape unhurt by doing the exact same thing, according to CNN.

Novell’s grandfather was living with his family in Camden, New Jersey, during the post-war years when 28-year-old Howard Unruh committed America’s first mass shooting. In September of 1949, Unruh murdered 13 people and wounded three others in a 20-minute shooting rampage, according to HuffPost. Smithsonian Magazine reported that Unruh had erected a fence as part of a squabble with the Cohens, who lived next door. One night when Unruh returned from work, he found the fence missing.

The next morning, Unruh unleashed the infamous “walk of death,” using his German Luger pistol and ammunition. A 12-year-old back at the time, Cohen managed to survive by hiding in a closet, but he saw his family get slain in front of his eyes.

Fortunately, his granddaughter was luckier, but her friends and classmates were not.

“I didn’t really go through the same thing, because he didn’t turn out as lucky. But I wish he was still alive because I feel like he could understand how I feel right now.”

Following this realization, Novell tweeted out a picture of her grandpa, which has been liked 225,000 times at the time of writing.

“This is my grandpa. When he was 12 years old, he hid in a closet while his family was murdered during the first mass shooting in America. Almost 70 years later, I also hid in a closet from a murderer. These events shouldn’t be repetitive. Something has to change.”

This is my grandpa. When he was 12 years old, he hid in a closet while his family was murdered during the first mass shooting in America. Almost 70 years later, I also hid in a closet from a murderer. These events shouldn't be repetitive. Something has to change. #douglasstrong pic.twitter.com/nDctTNlUNs

— carly (@carlynovell) February 15, 2018

In the immediate aftermath of the Parkland tragedy, Carly Novell has emerged as one of the staunchest voices calling for congressional leaders and Donald Trump to act on gun reform. When conservative media personality Toni Lahren launched into a tirade against supposed liberals for pushing their “gun agenda” and not letting the grieving families bereave, Novell retorted by claiming that the Parkland shooting was actually only about guns.

She recounted her experience of hiding in the closet for nearly two hours at her senior school.

“I was hiding in a closet for 2 hours. It was about guns. You weren’t there, you don’t know how it felt. Guns give these disgusting people the ability to kill other human beings. This IS about guns and this is about all the people who had their life abruptly ended because of guns.”

Her response to the conservative media personality has been liked 787,000 times at the time of writing.