- Jon Romano served 17 years in prison for opening fire at his high school in 2004.
- He was released in 2020, and has since gained 250,000 followers on TikTok.
A school shooter released from prison in 2020 is gaining a significant following on TikTok where he shares his quest for redemption.
But while over 250,000 people follow him, and many praise his honesty, others are unhappy that he has a platform like that.
@blackqueerliberation I am so disgusted. #antiracism #mentalhealth #leftist
♬ original sound - Lars (they/he)
Jon Romano was 16 when he brought a shotgun to school in upstate New York, opened fire, and shot a teacher, hitting them in the legs.
Nobody was killed in the attack as the assistant principal, John Shawchuck, wrested Romano to the ground. But Romano was sentenced to 20 years for attempted murder. He served 17.
Romano now uses his platform to advocate for better mental health services in the US and stricter gun control.
He told Insider in an email that he understands the backlash but concluded "I do believe I am helping."
He wrote: "I can never undo what I have done, the pain and trauma that I have caused upon so many, but I am working towards preventing others from experiencing that same pain and suffering."
As well as talking about gun violence, Romano also posted about the aftermath of being attacked at the homeless shelter he was working at by a man wielding swords in 2022.
The attack left him badly injured, and in rehab after having several of his limbs reattached.
In one of his most popular videos posted in July, Romano gave his take on how teachers can help students who are struggling mentally. He said his intention when he went into school that day was "not to kill but to be killed," and that he walked around waiting for police to show up after firing two rounds into the ceiling.
He explained he shot a teacher in the leg after the assistant principal tackled him and they fought over the gun. He said that while he wasn't seriously injured physically, "I know that mentally, him and countless others were traumatized and still suffer to this day almost 20 years later because of me."
He said mental health was something that wasn't talked about enough at schools, and there should be more of a focus on thinking about the emotional mindset people are in when they do bad things.
He also said teachers should open up to students and let them know they also went through tough times.
"I think there's power in vulnerability, power in opening yourself up," he said. "And learning to do that can change lives — your own as well."
@jonseekingpeace How can teachers help students struggling emotionally? #Teachers #schools #schoolsafety #lawenforcement
♬ original sound - Jon Romano
Romano's account has been on the receiving end of some backlash recently from people who question his motives.
One creator named Lars called Romano out for "getting clout" from his past, and said it was "disingenuous" of him to "build a platform off of the trauma that you've caused others."
"And you do so under the guise of spreading awareness of mental health," they said. "But to me, after watching many of your videos, it seems like you are mainly interested in protecting the mental health of people like you — white, young boys."
Another creator named Che Guerrero said Romano's videos were "nothing but white privilege at work."
"He doesn't even mention the fact that most school shooters are white men, and this is tied to white privilege and white supremacy," he said. "I truly believe this guy is still dangerous."
Both Lars and Guerrero pointed to one of Romano's videos where he spoke about the sword attack in 2022, where he said people could be racist towards white people. The man who attacked him was Black, and called him "the white devil," he said.
Guerrero said Romano was focusing on race rather than the man's mental-health issues, which they said was in conflict with his advocacy elsewhere.
"I'm not justifying the Black man's actions, but you are a white guy who shot up a school, did very little time, got out, and is now monetizing the crimes you committed," he said.
Romano turned off his comments on TikTok since criticism has mounted over the past two days.
Romano told Insider that he understands the backlash, and despite it, he also gets people reaching out to him thanking him for what he does. Often these messages are from parents, teachers, and students who are "frustrated with the lack of change" and believe he can "help save lives."
"I weighed out if my speaking publicly would help more people than it would hurt," he told Insider. "Because I know my sharing my story hurts people, but I do believe I am helping."
@blackqueerliberation I am so disgusted. #antiracism #mentalhealth #leftist
♬ original sound - Lars (they/he)
In 2004 after the attack, students and law enforcement officials described Romano as a disturbed teenager, who "had a lot of problems," The New York Times reported.
''He just became more of a freak,'' one 16-year-old student told the outlet at the time. ''He was depressed and he just didn't care because he lost all his friends."
Romano expressed remorse in a letter he sent to the Albany Times from prison. In it, he called his actions the "worst mistake I ever made," and said he wanted to "make sure others don't make the same mistake. "
He said his aim was to die when he entered the school, and that he never expected to walk out alive. He urged anyone having similar thoughts to speak to a therapist or a priest before doing something they would regret.
He also said since being arrested, and having his freedom taken away, he learned "how precious life is."
"Please nobody follow in mine or other's footsteps by bringing a weapon to school. Please don't even try to take your own life. Life is too precious whether you notice or not," he wrote. "Always remember if you hurt yourself or others, you'll also be hurting your family and loved ones or theirs."