Press Release

As Featured in the EINPresswire.com on January 24, 2023.

 CENTREVILLE, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES -- Reviewing and Updating the Documented Historical Reports on School Shootings: New Strategies to Help Save Lives on Campuses is a new published study that identifies 1,204 known gun violence incidents that occurred on or were directed toward a U.S. school from January 1, 1990 – January 1, 2020. The author, Luis Aponte, an Information Services Librarian, examines many commonly accepted conclusions about school shootings; underage and illegal gun access; how schools are protected daily; and how communities and law enforcement can develop better solutions to contain the juvenile/social patterns that produce school gun violence.

His conclusions challenge the past reports on school gun violence by the FBI, Secret Service, U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Government Accountability Office due to their conflicting definitions that do not include accidental shootings, suicides, drive-by shootings, stray bullets, gun violence at school-sponsored athletic and extra-curricular events before and after traditional school hours while students and staff are still present. An updated definition of a school shooting is clearly needed.

Mr. Aponte reviewed 3,759 public resources, including FBI and U.S. House of Representatives reports; police and court records; newspapers and website articles; nonprofits and subscription-based news databases, and public library-based databases. His important findings are offered in the December issue of EDUCATION, an education journal published continually for more than 142 years.

About the Author:
Luis Aponte is an Information Services Librarian for the Fairfax County Public Library System in Virginia. He is the author of two upcoming books, A Safe Place: Imagining Schools Without Gun Violence and The Ultimate U.S. School Shooting Reference Guide.

Visit www.ASafePlaceBook.com and www.LuisTheLibrarian.com to learn more about the author and his important research.
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Contact Info

Luis D. Aponte, Author
Owl and Scroll Publishers
SchoolShootingBook@gmail.com
www.ASafePlaceBook.com

As Featured in the Florida Press Association on January 26, 2026

Manassas, VA — As school shootings continue to devastate families and communities across the United States, a new book by researcher and U.S. Air Force veteran Luis D. Aponte, MLIS offers a data-driven, nonpartisan path forward. A Safe Place: How to Prevent the Next School Shooting draws on seven years of original research analyzing 1,204 documented U.S. school shootings over a 30-year period, identifying clear patterns (and actionable solutions) to help stop the violence before it starts.

Rather than treating school shootings as random or inevitable tragedies, A Safe Place reframes them as a preventable public safety crisis. Aponte’s research reveals that the majority of incidents stem not from mass-casualty plots or mental illness, but from arguments, feuds, and interpersonal conflicts that escalate into gun violence. The book outlines practical, evidence-based strategies communities can implement immediately, including emotional intelligence and conflict-resolution education, consistent security measures in school parking areas, improved firearm storage practices, and faster emergency response through measures such as Alyssa’s Law.

“A Safe Place moves the conversation beyond ‘thoughts and prayers’ and into prevention,” Aponte said. “When we understand why these incidents happen, we can intervene earlier, and save lives.”

Aponte brings a rare combination of professional expertise and personal experience to the issue. A librarian by training, Air Force veteran, and alumnus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (the site of Florida’s deadliest school shooting), he left high school early due to the threat of gun violence. That experience, combined with his background in research and data analysis, positions him as a credible and compelling voice in the national conversation on school safety.

The release of A Safe Place comes at a moment of growing bipartisan concern and public demand for meaningful solutions. As states consider legislation such as Alyssa’s Law and expand Community Violence Intervention programs, the book provides a research-backed framework for policymakers, educators, parents, and law enforcement professionals seeking to turn concern into action.

A Safe Place: How to Prevent the Next School Shooting is written in honor of the victims of school gun violence and with the goal of ensuring that no student or educator has to learn in fear.

Aponte is also the author of the forthcoming reference series The Ultimate U.S. School Shooting Reference Guide. Volume 1: 1990–1999 is scheduled for release on February 6, 2026, and will be the first in a three-volume set documenting school-related gun violence in the United States from 1990 to 2019. The series compiles verified incidents and analyzes patterns of motivation and behavior to support deeper understanding and prevention efforts nationwide.

For more information about A Safe Place, visit www.ASafePlaceBook.com.

Contact Info

Luis D. Aponte, Author
Owl and Scroll Publishers
SchoolShootingBook@gmail.com
www.ASafePlaceBook.com

Date Posted: January 26, 2026

As Featured in the PR Newswire on September 28, 2026

Manassas, VA -- The NYC Big Book Award recognized A Safe Place: How to Prevent the Next School Shooting by Luis D. Aponte in the category of True Crime as a winner. The competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, designers, booksellers, librarians and professional copywriters. Winners and distinguished favorites are based on overall excellence.

A Safe Place is a meticulously researched and deeply personal exploration of school gun violence in the United States. Drawing from 30 years of data across 1,204 incidents, the book uncovers patterns and misconceptions surrounding school shootings, offering actionable, nonpartisan solutions for communities to prevent future tragedies. ​Aponte challenges common perceptions, revealing that arguments, feuds, and criminal activity—not mental illness or bullying—are the leading causes of school shootings. ​He emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, responsible gun ownership, and community involvement, while advocating for measures like threat assessment teams, panic button systems, and consistent use of metal detectors. The book also highlights the critical role of parents, educators, and students in fostering safer school environments. With compassion and urgency, Aponte provides a roadmap for communities to work together to protect children and educators from the devastating threat of gun violence. 

NYC Big Book Award received book submissions worldwide. Attorneys, Doctors, Entrepreneurs, Film & Television writers, Historians, Journalists, and Professors, from well-established authors to first-time indie authors as well as small and large presses participated.  

Entries this year were received from the United States as well as countries such as Australia, Canada, China, Dubai, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea United, Sweden, Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.  Cities represented among the entries were Auckland, Baltimore, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hollywood, Johannesburg, Manhattan Beach, New Orleans, NYC, Philadelphia, Sydney, and West Palm Beach.

Publishers included Owl & Scroll Publishers, Beacon Press, Berrett-Koehler, Casemate, Edinburgh University Press, Forbes Books, Kiplinger Books, NYU Press, Palgrave Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Rizzoli, Routledge, University of California Press, University of Nebraska Press, Weaving Influence Press, and Wiley. 

Winners and distinguished favorites included “A Safe Place” by Luis D. Aponte, The Lab Press’s "Essentials Vol. 1” by Luke Arnold (Black Sails) & Chris "Doc" Wyatt (TV producer/writer); Berrett-Koehler's "Catch People Doing Things Right” by Martha C. Lawrence; The White House Historical Association’s “White House Memories 1970–2007:” by Gary J. Walters (White House Chief Usher); and “Eternal Love” by Xuemo to name some key titles on the awarded list.

"We have an amazing list of authors from around the globe participating this year,” said awards sponsor Gabby Olczak. “I’m so excited to share these books with a worldwide readership!" 

To view the list of NYC Big Book winners and distinguished favorites, please visit: https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/

NYC Big Book Award, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/, is announced every fall. NYC Big Book Award is open to all authors, publishers, and illustrators, and includes submissions from the big five publishers including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster. Join us for the Independent Press Award, deadlines every December 15th, is open to independent authors and publishers. To see this year's list of IPA Winners, visit: https://www.independentpressaward.com/winners
 

And, join us for the Awards Dinner on April 10th, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/awardsdinner, held at the BookCAMP event, April 9-10, 2027, https://www.ipabookcamp.com, where recipients from both programs will walk on stage to receive their awards. 

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Contact Info

Luis D. Aponte, Author
Owl and Scroll Publishers
info@owlandscrollpublishers.com
www.ASafePlaceBook.com 

Date Posted: September 28, 2026