A seven-year-old girl who lived through a horrific school shooting has pleaded with the US President to make classrooms safe from gun violence.
In the letter, Ava, now eight, wrote to Donald Trump explaining how in 2016 she witnessed an alleged shooting at her school in Townville, South Carolina, where a 14-year-old drove up to a playground and allegedly shot two children and a teacher.
Six-year-old, Jacob, shot during the incident died three days later.
After suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, Ava wrote to the president to find out how schools could be better protected from gun violence.
"I heard and saw it all happen and I was very scared. My best friend, Jacob, was shot and died. That made me very sad. I loved him and was going to marry him one day. I hate guns. One ruined my life and took my best friend," she wrote, according to 'The Washington Post'.
"Please...keep kids safe from guns."
Mr Trump responded thanking Ava and writing it was his goal to make sure children grow up safe in the US.
“Schools are places where children learn and grow with their friends. Their halls should be free of fear. It is my goal as President to make sure that children in America grow up in safe environments, giving them the best opportunity to realize their full potential,” Mr Trump wrote.
He also said Melania and himself wanted to make sure her dreams were fulfilled.
Ava, thankful the president responded, was determined and wrote back to Mr Trump after noticing he had not offered any solutions.
In her follow up letter, she offered her own ideas including moving schools to safer places and building schools in circles so playgrounds are situated in the middle.
There have been approximately a dozen school shootings that have occurred since the beginning of 2018, according to The Hill.
In a Kentucky high school shooting two students were shot. Following the incident a NBC News reporter questioned White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on what was being done to stop school shootings and if Mr Trump would speak out against gun violence.
Dodging the question, Ms Sanders said Mr Trump had told law enforcement to "crack down" on gun violence.
