Former Saugus High School Student Faces Second Campus Tragedy at Brown University
Student Advocate Reflects on Gun Violence Following Dual Campus Attacks
Mia Tretta, a 21-year-old junior at Brown University, is determined to advocate for victims of gun violence after experiencing traumatic events at both Saugus High School in 2019 and on her college campus just weeks ago.
Tretta was injured in a shooting on November 14, 2019, at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita Valley, where a 16-year-old gunman opened fire, killing two of her classmates. This past December, she was on lockdown at Brown University during a shooting incident that resulted in two fatalities and nine injuries.
"My life has been forever altered," Tretta stated. "I am not the same person, and I’m not the same compared to my 21-year-old counterparts who have never been shot in a school shooting."
Reflecting on her choice to attend Brown, Tretta noted, "Here at Brown, I felt safer than I did in other places. It felt like, ‘Of course, it won’t happen again.’ It already did, but here we are."
During an interview with NBC News, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha described the suspect in the attack on Brown University as having carefully planned the shooting in a manner designed to evade law enforcement. Authorities reported that the shooter ultimately died by suicide, paralleling the tragic fate of the Saugus High School assailant.
"With the person killing themselves, like what happened in Saugus, very similar experiences exist," Tretta shared. "You can’t get justice."
Tretta is one of two students at Brown who have endured previous school shootings. Zoe Weissman, a fellow student, was present during the recent shooting and had attended a middle school adjacent to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where a 2018 shooting resulted in 17 deaths.
The Saugus High School tragedy claimed the lives of 14-year-old Dominic Blackwell and 15-year-old Gracie Anne Muehlberger. The weapon used, a .45-caliber handgun, was assembled from a kit, raising concerns about potential loopholes in California’s gun laws.
Since the Saugus incident, Tretta has dedicated herself to advocating against firearm violence, participating in campaigns focused on the dangers posed by "ghost guns."
"I don’t do gun violence prevention work for myself," Tretta emphasized. "I do it because Dominic and Gracie, they can’t advocate for themselves. They can’t tell their own stories anymore."
Tretta has engaged in significant advocacy work, including introducing President Biden before he signed federal legislation to address ghost guns and assisting California Governor Gavin Newsom as he enacted state laws enabling private individuals to sue those who illegally manufacture or sell such weapons.
Returning to Brown after the holidays presents its challenges for Tretta, as she conducts research on surviving school shootings. Nevertheless, she remains optimistic that the community will come together to heal.
