With the growing number of school shootings in America, bulletproof backpacks are becoming more common. Sales have soared more than 300% since 2019, CNN reported.  As a result, one Brophy student’s back-to-school purchase stood out: a Kevlar bulletproof backpack.

School shootings are a growing concern in our country, with a 20% increase from last year and 76 occurring this year alone, leaving 36 dead and 103 injured, as reported by CNN. Although zero security incidents have been reported at Brophy, Matthew Frazier-Ali ’26’s father didn’t want to take a risk, spending $150-300 on the bulletproof backpack for his son’s freshman year.

It was not Frazier’s decision to use the backpack freshman year. Reflecting on the purchase, he said, “I did not purchase the backpack. My dad did [it] before my freshman year.” The decision stemmed from his father’s concerns about easy access to school grounds.

Although having a 95% chance of survival, the backpack was a burden. “Because of how heavy it was, I stopped using it after freshman year and switched to a regular backpack,” explained Frazier.

Despite Brophy’s large population of over 1,400 students, Frazier stands out as one of the only students to have worn a bulletproof backpack on campus. “I know no one else who owns one,” said Frazier.

Frazier also questions the utility and practicality of the backpack on campus. “I think if the student is worried about being shot, then sure, but being shot isn’t something you constantly worry about at Brophy.”

Although no longer wearing the backpack, Frazier’s experience represents the precautions taken against the alarming rates of school shootings in our country.