"The community is reeling from this devastating loss, from fear, from, they're just grappled by fear. They don't know how to process this," said Tazheen Nizam of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Valley Crescent School, a private Islamic school serving the Clovis-Fresno area since 2001, dismissed students early Monday following reports that two teenage gunmen opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Three people were killed in the violence. Aerial video from the scene showed children running from classrooms.
There is a deep connection between the Clovis school and the center in San Diego. The school president of the Islamic Center in San Diego recently visited the Valley Crescent campus.
In response to the violence, Valley Crescent School immediately implemented safety measures.
"Immediately, what we did was shut down all the rooms, and we decided to let the school kids go home early," said Dr. Mohammad Ashraf, board president of Valley Crescent School.
Ashraf said the tragedy is especially painful because of the personal connections between the two institutions.
"The current principal of our school has taught at that school for 18 years. I personally know the person in charge of the Islamic Center. We have been working with them since we started as a school and we learn from each other," he said.
The school, which has about 175 students, already has a gated campus, but leaders are now looking to further strengthen security measures.
"We are making our doors and windows safer, the alarm system better, adding more cameras, and hiring a better security company," Ashraf said.
Community members say the uncertainty following the attack has heightened fears across the region.
"So everybody's concern is who is next. And that's why, as a community, we need to heal, and we need to prepare together," Nizam said.
But despite the fear, there are calls for unity.
"We should not give up hope. There is always hope. There is a chance to build bridges," Ashraf said.
With upcoming graduation ceremonies, the school plans to increase security for those events. Administrators are also expected to meet to discuss additional safety measures and protocols as the community moves forward.
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