CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s been nearly one year since the horrific school shooting in Parkland, Florida ripped 17 families apart.
Former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police sergeant and Marine Chris Kopp is flying to Parkland on Friday to provide safety training in the community.
[ALSO READ: Senior at Parkland high school recalls moments when gunman opened fire]
“I graduated from the school back in 1999, when Columbine happened,” said Kopp.
When he graduated from high school, Kopp never imagined a horrific massacre like the one at Columbine would happen at his own school.
Sadly, it did in 2017.
Seventeen people were killed in Parkland, including Aaron Feis, a coach who threw himself in front of students to save them.
“I graduated with him, played football with him. It’s sad,” said Kopp.
[ALSO READ: Father of Parkland school shooting survivors shot to death in Florida armed robbery]
He now teaches people in schools and businesses how to survive shootings.
As he prepared to leave for Parkland to see some of his old friends on Friday, Kopp told Channel 9, “It’s just come full circle. It’s so surreal. It’s kind of a privilege and at the same time kind of scary to go to my hometown to teach to people who are frightened after what happened in the community.”
Kopp will train law enforcement officers, directors of school security systems and employees of private companies.
The only twist is the high school administrators won’t be there. Kopp said they backed out.
"They’re scared to make changes because they’re under the microscope right now,” he said." “Every change they do will be scrutinized by everyone, local and national.”
A new report by the public safety commission formed after the Parkland shooting said schools across Florida are still unsafe and unprepared.
Kopp hopes students in CMS classrooms are safer.
He has already trained more than 30,000 people in Mecklenburg County, from CMPD officers to city and county employees.
[RELATED: 'We are sitting ducks': Student pleads with CMS leaders for safer schools]
This summer, he will also train 400 school resource officers.
Kopp said, “We want people to take action. They don’t necessarily have to be violent and aggressive actions but there are actions you can take. Anything is better than hiding under your desk.”
According to Kopp, his safety courses are free in Charlotte since the police department uses them for mandatory training.
You can find more information about how to sign up and what is taught
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