News

As Featured in the Florida Press Association.

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