Dolton mom rethinks children's safety after school shooting

LANSING, Ill. (WLS) -- In the wake of yet another school shooting, one Dolton mom is rethinking how to keep her children safe.

"Every day I'm waking up it's something different. It's every other day," said LaToya Woods of the mass shootings that have repeatedly torn through American communities.

She feels the danger getting too close to her teenage boys, so she took the extreme step of looking for bulletproof backpacks.

"Totally caught me off guard."

Richard Bolton owns The Bunker, a military surplus store in Lansing, Ill. When Woods called asking about such a bag, he suggested an assault bag paired with a ballistic panel from companies like TuffyPacks.

These assault bags look like other backpacks with an added compartment meant to hold a ballistic panel. In an active shooter situation, a child could whip the bag around front, using it as a shield from oncoming gunfire. But, Bolton stresses, such ballistic panels can only protect against small arms-not an assault rifle like the one used in Parkland, Florida, last week where 17 people were killed.

Still, Woods bought two bags and Bolton helped her order the ballistic panels. In all, she spent close to $400.

"It doesn't matter about the cost. It's about wanting to have my children here the next day," she said.

Since Friday, Bolton says three more parents have reached out about the bags.

"Makes me sad, kind of fearful," reflected Bolton.

LaToya Woods wondered how her children can stay carefree.

"I feel like I'm forcing them to be prepared for something that at 17 and 13 they shouldn't need to worry about," she said.