Dawson College shooting survivors, families mark 20th anniversary with remembrance and calls for action

A solemn gathering two decades later

Hundreds gathered at Dawson College's Peace Garden on Friday to mark the 20th anniversary of the campus shooting that claimed the life of 18-year-old Anastasia De Sousa and left 19 others injured. The Montreal institution hosted alumni, first responders, dignitaries and surviving victims for a ceremony where the trauma of September 13, 2006 remains deeply felt by the community. The Peace Garden itself stands as a permanent memorial to the tragedy, having been created in the shooting's aftermath as a space for reflection and healing.

The commemorative event brought together people from various aspects of the tragedy - those who experienced it firsthand, those who responded to the emergency, and those who have lived with its consequences through loved ones. This gathering demonstrated how school shootings create ripple effects that extend far beyond the immediate victims, touching entire communities and persisting across generations.

Survivors' vivid memories

For Hayder Kadhim, who was 17 when he was shot three times during the attack in the leg, neck and head, the passage of time has done little to dull the memories.

"It feels like 20 days ago,"

he told Global News.

"Like I am still 17 years old."

The now-37-year-old reflected on both the permanence of the trauma and the resilience that followed, calling the continued community support

"inspiring."

Kadhim's account reveals how mass violence imprints itself on survivors with unusual intensity, creating memories that resist the softening effects of time. His recollection of being a teenager facing mortal danger remains viscerally present two decades later, illustrating how such events can arrest psychological development at the moment of trauma.

Kadhim spoke of drawing strength from memories of De Sousa, his classmate whose positivity left a lasting impression.

"Losing a friend that had such a good vibe … having survived it and knowing that I was given a second chance, it almost felt like a duty or a mission that I had to continue spreading the positivity that she had,"

he said. This transformation of grief into purpose represents a common pathway for survivors seeking meaning after unimaginable loss.

From remembrance to advocacy

Other survivors have channeled their experience into activism. Meaghan Hennegan, who attended Friday's ceremony, has spent the past twenty years pushing for stricter gun laws.

"We're far enough removed from the actual tragedy that remembrance is being turned into action,"

she said. Her comment captures how commemorations evolve over time, moving from raw grief to organized response as survivors regain their footing.

Hennegan described her advocacy work as both personal and purposeful:

"It's something that is very personal to me and I feel like I am making a positive contribution to the safety of not only students at school, but our society and country as a whole."

Her two decades of activism demonstrate how personal tragedy can fuel sustained engagement with policy issues, particularly when survivors feel their experiences could prevent future violence.

Honouring Anastasia De Sousa

Anastasia's mother, Louise De Sousa, participated in planting three pink heather plants during the ceremony, joking about her daughter's teenage spirit even as she honoured her memory.

"All the good and the bad things she did. She was a normal teenager,"

De Sousa said.

"I always said, yes, she had a beautiful smile, she was fun and loving, but she was also a little brat."

These candid reflections provide a fuller portrait of the victim beyond the tragedy, preserving her humanity against the abstraction of statistics.

The grieving mother spoke of wondering what her daughter might have become, reflecting on two decades of milestones missed. This ongoing reckoning with potential unrealized forms one of the most painful long-term consequences for families of victims. Like Hennegan, she continues to advocate for stronger gun control, emphasizing that the work extends beyond annual memorials. Her sustained engagement illustrates how parental grief can transform into public advocacy when channeled toward prevention.

The lasting impact on campus security

The Dawson College shooting marked a turning point for campus security nationwide, prompting widespread reforms in emergency preparedness at educational institutions. In the immediate aftermath, schools across Canada reviewed their safety protocols, implementing new lockdown procedures and threat assessment systems. The tragedy forced administrators to confront the previously unthinkable possibility of gun violence in Canadian classrooms.

Friday's ceremony at the Peace Garden demonstrated how the college community has worked to create spaces for healing while acknowledging the ongoing need for vigilance. The garden represents a physical manifestation of the institution's commitment to remembering while moving forward, serving both as memorial and as a statement about the value of creating peaceful spaces in response to violence.

The evolution of gun policy debates

In the twenty years since the shooting, Canada's conversation around gun control has evolved significantly, with events like Dawson College serving as reference points in policy discussions. While Canada already had relatively strict gun laws compared to the United States in 2006, subsequent mass shootings have continued to shape legislation. Survivors from Dawson became part of a growing network of advocates pushing for measures like expanded background checks and restrictions on certain firearms.

The sustained involvement of survivors like Hennegan in policy debates reflects how mass shootings create unlikely activists - ordinary people compelled to engage with complex legislative processes because of personal experience. Their voices carry particular weight in discussions about balancing public safety with individual rights.

Why this anniversary matters

Twenty years after one of Canada's deadliest school shootings, the Dawson College commemoration serves as both a tribute to lives altered and a reminder of unfinished work. The ceremony revealed how different people process trauma across decades - some through activism, others through community building, many through simple persistence in daily life.

Survivors' transition from victims to advocates demonstrates how personal tragedy can fuel societal change, particularly in the ongoing national conversation about gun violence prevention. Their stories provide human context to policy debates that might otherwise remain abstract. The continued activism of figures like Hennegan and the De Sousa family underscores how mass shootings leave permanent marks that extend far beyond physical injuries.

As memorials like the Peace Garden provide spaces for reflection, the voices of those most affected ensure these events remain catalysts for meaningful action rather than fading into history. The 20th anniversary serves as a checkpoint - an opportunity to assess what has changed in security protocols and gun laws, what hasn't, and why certain wounds resist healing even after two decades.