A makeshift memorial at Stoneman Douglas High School. Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images

"[C]aregivers have been stocking up on bulletproof backpacks, tracking devices and doorstops ... to give children a fighting chance at surviving a gunman’s attack at school," the N.Y. Post reports:

  • "BulletBlocker, a company that sells bulletproof backpacks ranging in price from $199 for a girly pink one to $490, has seen sales jump 300 percent since the Florida shooting."
  • A $95 metal device called “JustinKase,” which is placed under a door and latches to the door’s jamb to prevent entry, was invented by a 17-year-old Wisconsin high school student, Justin Rivard.

President Trump to Fox News' Judge Jeanine Pirro: A gun-free zone around a school is "like target practice for these guys. ... Gun-free zones are very dangerous because bad guys loved gun-free zones."

Debate ahead: Death penalty for shooter, which the N.Y. Times says would mean "years of public agony" through trial and appeals? ... Howard Finkelstein, Broward County public defender, whose office represents Nikolas Cruz, who is charged in the school shooting and could face the death penalty:

  • “If it were my daughter, I would want to personally kill my client, make no mistake about it.”

Go deeper

Updated 29 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Politics: Chris Christie released from hospital.
  2. Health: U.S. sees third day of 50,000 new coronavirus casesHow genes might predict the risk for severe COVID-19.
  3. Business: As job losses continue, doubts are rising about unemployment data.
  4. Poll: 26% of Americans know someone who went to work while sick.
  5. Sports: Guidelines may have caused college football's sloppy start.

The Pence-Harris debate was a big hit on the right

Photos: Justin Sullivan/Pool/AFP

Mike Pence's performance at the vice presidential debate set conservative media on fire, generating high interaction numbers on favorable coverage of him and critical coverage of Kamala Harris, according to data from NewsWhip provided to Axios.

The big picture: The debate was more notable for its return to civility than for generating strong emotions — but the NewsWhip data shows that the breakout moments saw more traction on the right.

Top 5 mail voting mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios

If you're planning to cast your ballot by mail this year rather than voting in person, these are the most common mistakes to avoid so you can ensure your vote is counted.

Why it matters: About 1% of absentee ballots that were cast in the 2016 and 2018 elections were ultimately tossed, according to the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission (EAC). That could translate to hundreds of thousands of uncounted ballots this year — enough to potentially change the outcome of the presidential race.