Sam Resnick, Noah Kaufman, Jonathan Blank and Ethan Rocha are juniors at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the site of last week's school shooting. The views expressed in this commentary are their own.

(CNN) Before February 14, 2018, our only familiarity with gun violence was limited to the world of video games -- the ones that our parents were strongly opposed to us playing. After February 14, 2018, our only memory of gun violence will be the blood of our classmates and teachers, staining the halls of our Florida high school.

That fateful afternoon, a 19-year-old former student, who had legally purchased an AR-15 despite showing signs of instability, decided to play the Angel of Death. Thanks to him, we lost our innocence -- and 17 of our friends lost their lives.

Ethan Rocha, Jonathan Blank, Noah Kaufman, and Sam Resnick

Admittedly, we had heard about other school shootings like Columbine and Sandy Hook. We'd even watched several of these tragedies play out on TV. We felt empathy for those suffering, but, regrettably, we watched as their tragedies failed to move the dial at the legislative level.

Which is why, after the shootings had faded from the headlines, we moved on. That is, until we were the ones dodging bullets.

We are certain that those politicians who advocate for limited or no gun regulation share our former ignorance. They likely do not have firsthand experience with the horrors of mass shootings. In their defense, it typically takes that kind of personal connection to fully process the gravity of an issue.

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