Ex-NYPD school safety agent's new film 'The Security Guard,' explores shootings, gun control laws

ByAnthony Carlo

Thursday, December 19, 2024 4:34AM

Ex-NYPD safety agent's new film explores school shootings, gun control

Anthony Carlo spoke to the film's creator, Wilfred La Salle.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- A former NYPD school safety agent is bringing the conversation about school shootings and gun control laws to the big screen.

Wilfred La Salle's new film "The Security Guard," provides a unique perspective on the highly charged and often politicized topic and how it relates to gun-related incidents at schools.

"Who represents the ordinary man?" said La Salle. "The librarian, the bodega owner, the security guard. So we wanted to tell it from that point of view - from his perspective. You know, most school safety agents are not armed."

La Salle added that in the film, a school safety agent and father are forced to confront a school shooter in a New York City school that his daughter attends.

"Although New York City has stricter gun laws, it can happen anywhere," he said. "And we have this invincibility as New Yorkers that this can't happen here. This only happens elsewhere. We wanted to show that this can happen very fast, this can happen in the blink of an eye."

La Salle spent 17 years with the NYPD, but while doing that he took an interest in filmmaking. His movie emphasizes the reality about wanting to make progress on the discussion about school shootings as they are debated again on a national stage.

"It has divided so many Americans for so many years, and the way to do that is to explore both sides equally," he said.

The film also has precise timing after another shooting took place at a private school earlier this week in Wisconsin. A 15-year-old girl allegedly fatally shot a teacher and a student, while also leaving six others wounded.

According to a recent study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the U.S. has had 57 times as many school shootings as all other nations combined.