A North Texas teacher holding a protest sign at the March for Our Lives sister rally in Denton, Texas on March 24th, 2018. Photo courtesy of Heather Mount.
A 16-year-old student arrived at his high school last Thursday, pulled out a handgun, and shot five students — killing two.
Grace Anne Muehlberger, 15, and Dominic Blackwell, 14, died at the hospital, authorities said. Of the other victims of the attack, the three teenagers are expected to survive.
According to authorities, the alleged shooter, Nathaniel Berhow, retrieved a .45-caliber pistol from his backpack in the quad of Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California. After shooting five of his fellow students, Berhow turned the gun on himself. Once recovered, the gun was empty — the accused had shot every bullet from the semi-automatic handgun. He died at the hospital Friday.
In attempts to identify the motive behind the killings, authorities seem to be at a loss. In an interview with CNN’s “New Day” morning show, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva noted, “There’s nothing really that stands out (with the suspect). He wasn’t a loner. Wasn’t socially awkward. Was involved in student activities. Student athlete. This is kind of out of the blue, shocking pretty much everyone who knew him.”
Authorities have also been searching for a connection between Berhow and the victims to no avail. It seems that Berhow shot his fellow classmates indiscriminately and without apparent motive.
What are the implications of this?
In this past year alone, there have been 45 school shootings. Students from all around the country have pulled guns from their bags and shot their fellow classmates. While the archetypal shooter is one who was bullied, excluded, and socially ostracized, Berhow is the antithesis of this. He was an active member of the Saugus community and was well liked by his peers. Why did he decide to shoot five of them?
In America, gun use is protected under the Second Amendment. While gun control policies have been levied in response to these numerous shootings, obtaining a gun is still fairly easy.
As such, the real question isn’t, “Why did Berhow commit the killings,” rather, “What can we do, as Americans, to prevent future school shootings?
In the last couple months, Walmart, known for its heavy gun sales, has decided to limit the selling of guns and ammunition. While still selling some, the store has decided to cut-back the selling of military-grade weapons. The store has also banned the open carry of guns while on its premises.
In theory, this should mitigate the pervasiveness of semi-automatic and automatic weapons; yet, Walmart is one store. Obtaining a semi-automatic is as easy as going to the next one.
What can you do?
It’s simple: vote. Call your local representatives, your mayor, your senator. Pressure those in power to advocate for stricter gun control policies. The right to vote is a fundamental American right — do not squander it. Your voice carries power. Use it.
Now is not the time to sit on our hands and send “thoughts and prayers” to the victims’ families. Now is the time to stand up and proclaim, “I’ve had enough.” Now is the time to act.
Berhow was an active member of the campus community and he still decided violence was the answer. There is no archetypal shooter, there is no reason to this madness, we must put a stop to it. You have that power. Use it. •
