“It is with a heavy heart that I must once again call for a focus on protecting our children and our schools,” DiPietro said. “My deepest condolences and prayers go out to the victims and families of this most recent shooting. We must take steps to protect our vulnerable students. I am once again calling on New York State to allocate funding for a school resource office in every school district in the state.

“We cannot let this tragedy that plagues our nation continue anymore. I urge my fellow legislators in the Assembly to prioritize school safety and protect our schools. It’s our sacred duty to ensure our children are protected and make sure we have a fully-funded resource officer whose sole purpose is their protection and well-being.

“I say again, we must prioritize school safety, no more lives need to be lost. We have to step up and protect those who need it.”