California Senator Kamala Harris wrapped up another campaign stop in Nevada, hosting town halls, and meeting with thousands of her supporters. 

For one of her events, she took questions from the crowd in a high school gymnasium north of Las Vegas. Students there said they experienced something just a few months ago that made her remarks about school safety hit close to home. 

One of Harris' focuses is the issue of gun violence, especially in schools

“We have to learn how to go to the closet and be really quiet, because there may be a masked gunman,” said Harris at the town hall.

Debbie Rivkin, a grandmother of four said times have changed. 

“How do you explain to a child that you're hiding in a closet so somebody doesn't shoot you?” said Rivkin. “You know we didn't have that when I was a child."

She said her own grandson had a knife pulled on him on the bus. 

"They mean everything to me,” said Rivkin. “So I know that the schools are not friendly places for children; they're scary."

Canyon Springs High School is especially important in this conversation. 

"We thought it was just a normal lock down,” said one student, Kaim Goff.

A few months ago, in September, a teenager shot and killed another nearby. It was a day many students, including Goff, remember well. 

"Everyone started screaming,” Goff said. “Everyone ran away into the locker room. And we're just thinking about what's going to happen to us."

Students at the rally said they appreciate Harris’ focus on school violence prevention. 

"Cause you never know what's going to happen, you know?" said another student.

Harris is against arming teachers, against assault weapons, and supports universal background checks for all firearms. She said more needs to happen to keep the children safe. 

"It is a sad truth,” said Harris. “And we can avoid having to speak this truth if we had people in Washington DC who had the courage to stand up and fight for smart gun safety laws."

Senator Harris said it's not just the idea of safer schools, but that there's a connection between public education and public safety. She thinks stronger schools will lead to safer communities.