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Heritage High students pick up belongings left behind after Monday shooting

Those who came back said it was an eerie feeling walking through the doors for the first time since the shooting.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — For the first time since the shooting at Heritage High School Monday, students were able to go inside to belongings they left when evacuating the building.

It seems like an unreal situation for students, parents and staff. Those who came back said it was an eerie feeling walking through the doors for the first time since the shooting.

"I'm okay," Sasheen Tucker, a parent of a Heritage High student said. "It's just a little frustrating."

"It's surreal because inside you're still thinking about what happened and it was just weird going back in there," Sharon Jackson, another parent, said.

RELATED: 'Senseless Violence' | Family of Heritage High School shooting victim shares statement

Julaisy Gomez, a 10th-grade student, shares the same feelings. She and many other students stopped by the school Wednesday morning, grabbing items they left when they evacuated the building.

"I'm not scared but it's not a happy feeling either," Gomez said.

After the events that transpired Monday, she isn't fully ready to be back in the building.

"I'm supposed to be coming here to feel safe and getting my education," Gomez said.

For Jackson, she wanted to come back and thank the teachers for their response Monday.

RELATED: Newport News parents, community leaders sound off on school safety concerns after shooting at Heritage High

"I was really grateful and thanked all the teachers when I went in there because it could have been worse for them and they're still mentally trying to process it," she said.

A crisis support team also was onsite for students still dealing with trauma.

Students also have the opportunity to pick up personal items tomorrow. The school will move to virtual learning temporarily when all students have what they need from the building.

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