SANTA FE, Texas – As another school year comes to a close at Santa Fe High School, with it also comes a painful memory.
Walter Braun, the police chief of the Santa Fe ISD Police Department said, "I’ve been in enforcement for 34 years, and I will tell you May 18 of last year was the worst day of my life."
Saturday will mark one year since a deadly shooting at the high school that claimed the lives of eight students and two teachers.
The person accused of pulling the trigger? A fellow student.
"Nothing can prepare you for a tragic loss of innocent kids and staff members," Braun said.
"I don’t know that anybody thinks that’s going to happen to them and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone," principal Rachel Blundell said.
As time passes and the healing process continues, changes to security have also been made at the school and across the district to keep students and faculty safe.
That includes metal detectors at the front door and added school police officers.
"We will continue to look at what we have in place and now it’s working and what we want to continue in moving forward," Santa Fe ISD Superintendent Leigh Wall said.
To mark the one-year anniversary since the tragic event, the school plans to observe a day of remembrance and resilience.
They’ll also have a tree dedication ceremony to remember the 10 lives lost.
"To lose anyone would’ve been huge. To lose as many is devastating," Blundell said.
Administrators admit the last year hasn’t been easy, but together as a community they’re coming together to support each other.
"We’ll never get back to the way it was, but we can better ourselves moving forward," Braun said.