The Altoona boys last home basketball game started a little differently Wednesday night.

A moment of silence was held for those who lost their lives in the senseless tragedy in Florida.

The violence hits close to home for school leaders.

“This is a true tragedy that shouldn’t be occurring,” Phil Riccio, the athletic director for Altoona Area School District, said.

It’s news no one wants to hear, but unfortunately it’s something we’ve been hearing too often. In fact there have already been 18 school shootings that have happened this year alone.

It’s the unimaginable, but it could be a reality anywhere.

“You’ve got to be prepared in everything you do and expect the unexpected,” Jason McGinnis, assistant principal at Altoona Area High School, said. “You continue to speak that into the kids and make sure that they know that they’re protected and we’re going to protect them at all costs.”

Community leaders are constantly evaluating what needs to be done should something like what happened in Florida happen here in Central Pennsylvania.

From active shooting drills to presentations, school officials and police departments are ready to keep everyone safe.

“We have gotten together with schools and then we practice,” Tpr. Jeff Petucci, with the Pennsylvania State Police, said. “The school does their part of it to make sure their plans are working the way they have written them and we’re responding to do our part as far as stopping the action, stopping what’s going on.”

And as the crowd in Altoona enjoyed the home basketball game, Florida remained on their minds.

“Our hearts go out to the families involved and God bless them all,” Riccio said.

We’re told active shooting drills are constantly being done in our region.