PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. — Hundreds of Kansas City-area students participated in a nationwide school walkout day on Wednesday, a week after a deadly mass school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Nashville killer murdered three students and three adults before police killed the shooter.

Students who rallied Wednesday at Shawnee Mission East High School demanded stricter gun laws. There were also walkouts at North Kansas City High School and Cross Roads Preparatory Academy.

“You have the power,” student Aiden Cox said. “You can’t just say we don’t want our kids to have to worry about going to school every day. You have to fix it and make us not be afraid anymore.”

“And it’s like what more can we do?” student Sophia Snyder said. “Like we’re just victims, and we can’t do anything to fight back.”

Students said they’re tired of living in fear.

“It shows that us teenagers are taking more action than adults that are supposed to be protecting our students and that they’re not doing their jobs,” student Emma Krause said.

Some students wore orange, the color of gun violence prevention. Others held signs, some chanted because they said they want to read books, not eulogies.

Nationally, critics say tighter gun laws won’t prevent school shootings and instead point to a need for better intervention for those with mental health concerns.

The local students speaking up Wednesday said they do want stricter gun laws, and they expect those who can make an impact to represent their views.

“Thoughts and prayers don’t fix things like this. Action does,” Cox said.