This week people are freaking out about
school shootings. No one is sure who to blame but, as always, people
begin lobbying their causes. There are the mental health aspects, the
gun control issue, the school security issue. Eventually it all gets
brushed under the rug because something more scandalous happens and
draws attention away from the fact that kids get shot at school on a
pretty regular basis now. The most recent shooting happened in Oregon
yesterday. I actually saw this on the TV at work right after it
happened and a guard said “Makes you not wanna send your kids to
school.”
15 year old Jared Padgett shot and
killed 14 year old Emilio Hoffman before shooting himself in the
bathroom of the school. In his guitar case he had an AR-15 rifle, a
semi-automatic handgun, nine loaded magazines, and a knife. During
the shooting his sister, Chelsea Cooper, posted on her Facebook
account.
“Praying for everyone at Reynolds! My
little brother is still there & I'm freakin out! I hate being
states away :-( So stressful!” as well as “They keep saying the
shooter is dead but I wanna know who it is!!! I'm so stressed right
now.” Of course she had no idea that her brother was the one who'd
been the shooter. So far no one knows why he decided to shoot up the
school. Many are confused because he didn't fit the “profile” of
someone who would do such a thing. He was in the JROTC. Played track
and field. Yeah, he liked heavy metal but also Christian bands. He
idolizes his brother who is in the military.
