Story:
The shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon shocked America this past Thursday morning, October 1, making it the 45th school shooting of 2015. Gunman Christopher Harper-Mercer killed nine victims and injured nine more. According to survivors, he asked whether victims were Christian before shooting them. Mercer was found to have thirteen firearms, six of which he had on person during the attack.
Victims:
Of the nine killed by Mercer, among them were Sarena Moore, mother of three who was shot when told to climb back into her wheelchair; Lawrence Lavine, the professor of the class; and Lucero Alvaraz, a nineteen-year-old qualified to become a UCC scholar.
Shooter:
Mercer was said to have been withdrawn and unhappy with his life, though he was openly interested in the topic of guns. He had shown a recent obsession with high-profile shootings, and bitterness at not having a girlfriend. Much of this information was discovered by looking at his online presence in blogs that expressed a sort of admiration for the sudden infamy shooters experience after their attacks.
Response:
In his address, President Obama famously stated, “Our thoughts and prayers are not enough.” His words echo those of an American public tired of digging graves for senseless deaths that should not have happened in the first place. However, a powerful speech is not enough to move a nation – that part is reliant on its citizens. This recent shooting should be especially home hitting to students here at Wake, since it occurred at a college where people should be looking towards a long bright future and not the end of one.
Future Policies:
This recent shooting has prompted another wave of action that will hopefully lead to new legislation that will prevent this widespread fear of mass violence. Whether this means tighter gun control, more security in schools, or closer attention to mental health, something needs to be done. It is time as citizens to take back our schools, our safety, and our peace of mind. Hillary Clinton, Democratic presidential front-runner, is pushing for expanded background checks for firearm sales and possible repeal of laws protecting gun distributors and dealers in cases like mass shootings. The debate on mental health treatments has been renewed, focusing on their accessibility and affordability, as well as the need to discourage the stigmas that prevent those from seeking help.
As college students and citizens, we need to become aware of the policies made to protect us – or else become active to create policies that do. It is up to the public and its collaboration with the government to ensure that something like the mass shooting in Oregon will not happen again.
*Cover Image from bbc.com