May 4, 1970, is a day that will resonate in minds as one of the most shocking campus shootings of all time.

The Kent State Massacre in Kent, Ohio, left four students dead, eight wounded and one paralyzed after the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a group of students gathered to protest the invasion of Cambodia.

President Richard Nixon’s announcement of the invasion on April 30 sparked protests and congregations on the campus of Kent State University. Although May 4 will ultimately live on because of its tragic nature, the days preceding it were rich with individuals voicing their displeasure with the United States administration.

After taking numerous precautionary measures, Kent State University, city officials and members of the National Guard took matters into their own hands. Sixty-seven shots were fired within 13 seconds by 28 Ohio National Guardsmen at a group of student demonstrators and bystanders. The guardsmen’s shots rained in from less than 300 feet away.

Barbara Mack, associate professor journalism and mass communication, said the time period in America was “schizophrenic.”

“You were simultaneously really, really worried about the war, frustrated about the war, angry about the war. And, at the same time, if you weren’t in danger of getting drafted, you were having a pretty good time, listening to music, watching TV, going to college, having a nice life,” Mack said.

On May 1, 2007, more information was uncovered about the event. According to the Kent State University Web site, a recording captured an unknown guardsman saying “Right here, get set, point, fire.”