Megyn Kelly and Emily Jashinsky Address the Impact of Active Shooter Drills as Brown University Tragedy Highlights Ongoing Threat

Top Points

• Kelly and Jashinsky said American students are growing up in a culture shaped by active shooter drills: They argued that drills, now routine from childhood through college, reflect a generation raised with the constant awareness of potential violence.

• Kelly and Jashinsky discussed the recent Brown University shooting as a stark reminder of the threat: They noted that the December 2025 attack, which left students dead and injured, shows why drills have become normalized and why campus communities remain on edge.

• Kelly and Jashinsky agreed that preparedness alone is not enough: They said the nation must address broader questions of safety, prevention and the emotional impact these drills have on students who have never known school without them.

Full Report:

On a recent episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, host Megyn Kelly spoke with journalist Emily Jashinsky about the emotional and psychological toll that active shooter drills have on American students. Their conversation was prompted in part by the recent mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, an event that left multiple students dead and several others injured earlier this month.

Kelly Says Students Live With a Persistent Threat

Kelly noted that active shooter drills, once rare and seen as extreme preparation, have become a regular part of schooling from elementary levels through college. She said that while drills are designed to teach safety protocols, they also reflect the sobering reality that young Americans are being raised to expect violence as part of everyday life.

Jashinsky agreed, pointing out that students today often know more about how to shelter, hide or evacuate than they do about basic steps older generations took for granted. She said this “new normal” of safety training illustrates how deeply gun violence has penetrated public consciousness and how difficult it is for families and communities to feel secure in educational settings.

The Brown University Shooting as a Stark Reminder

The discussion then turned to the Brown University shooting on December 13, 2025, in which at least two students were killed and nine others wounded during an active shooter incident in the Barus and Holley engineering building as final exams were underway. Authorities responded with shelter-in-place orders and emergency alerts, underscoring how quickly such events can unfold on a college campus.

Jashinsky said incidents like Brown are the reason drills have become so widespread, yet she also stressed that practice alone cannot eliminate the trauma or unpredictability of real violence. Kelly observed that students who participate in these exercises often report stress and anxiety, and that children who have never known a school environment without such drills are growing up with persistent fear.

A Call for Broader Safety and Prevention Discussion

Kelly and Jashinsky acknowledged the complexity of addressing school shootings and campus violence. Jashinsky reiterated that emergency preparedness is critical and can save lives, but she also said that society should work toward preventing such attacks in the first place.

They agreed that conversations about safety must include practical measures that go beyond drills, such as strengthened security, community awareness and support systems that help reduce the likelihood of violence. Kelly said that while drills teach students how to respond when violence occurs, they also remind the public that young people are living under the shadow of potential attacks.

Ongoing National Concern

The Brown University shooting has prompted responses from federal officials and campus leaders who are reviewing safety protocols and compliance with campus security laws. The U.S. Department of Education has launched a formal review to assess whether Brown University met federal safety requirements, including how and when students were alerted during the active shooter incident.

Kelly concluded the segment by emphasizing the need for sustained national dialogue about violence prevention, emergency readiness and the long-term emotional impact of active shooter drills on students across the country.

References

• The Megyn Kelly Show. Episode featuring discussion between Megyn Kelly and Emily Jashinsky on active shooter drills and the Brown University shooting. Megyn Kelly, SiriusXM.

• Jashinsky, Emily. Commentary on school safety culture and the emotional effects of active shooter preparedness. The Megyn Kelly Show, SiriusXM.

• “2025 Brown University Shooting.” Wikipedia, summary of the December 2025 campus shooting and official response.

• United States Department of Education. Statements regarding the federal safety review of Brown University following the December 2025 shooting.