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Conn. woman's simple advice for protection during school shootings goes viral

PHOTO: Facebook.com/katie.cornelis.9

SOUTHBURY, Conn. — A Connecticut woman's Facebook post about giving her niece's door stops to keep in their backpacks in case of another mass-shooting has gone viral.

The day 17 students and teachers were massacred during another mass-shooting at a high school, Katie Cornelis took to Facebook about the special gift she gave to her nieces.

“After the Sandy Hook shooting, I gave both my nieces this little door stop to always keep in their backpacks,” Cornelis said in the post.

She said it was painful to give it to them and was trying not to scare them by telling them what they were to be used for.

“It was out of love, and they understood,” she said in the post with a photo of her holding the door stop.

Cornelis said she offered the advice to parents or anyone else who may be scared they’ll be shot and killed.

“Sure it’s small, but it can be powerful in keeping you safe if you ever have to barricade yourself in a room,” she said.

After the Sandy Hook shooting, I gave both my nieces this little door stop to always keep in their backpacks. It truly...

Posted by Katie Cornelis on Thursday, February 15, 2018

She said if a gunman shoots out the door lock, (the door stop) will still keep the door from opening and could buy you potentially life-saving time.

“I’m really sad posting this, but a security expert shared this tip with me so I wanted to pass it along,’ she said. “I pray no one ever has to use it.”

Her post has been shared nearly 1.4 million times since it went on Facebook Wednesday.