Editorial Team
A school shooter named Jon Romano has been making headlines for going viral on TikTok – and for turning off his comments in response to backlash.
In 2004, Romano brought a gun to Columbia High School in upstate New York, injuring a teacher and threatening students before being subdued. He was sentenced to 20 years but released after 17.
Romano’s TikTok fame started last year when he was the victim of a sword attack at a homeless shelter he was working at. This resulted in severe injuries, and Romano said the attack was motivated by racism, as his attacker called him a “white devil.”
Romano’s content (@jonseekingpeace) now covers his past as a school shooter and emphasizes the importance of mental health. He claims his intention on the shooting day was “not to kill, but be killed.”
Responses to his content are mixed, with many users expressing disdain and concern about his use of the platform. He has almost 275,000 followers.
