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Yet another senseless tragedy.

This time, 9 year old angels, plus 3 adult employees.

When will it stop?

Anger that we are doing NOTHING about this almost tops my grief.

It's a highly complex problem and there is no quick or easy fix.

When did it become "acceptable" to go shoot up a school or a mall or other public place because you are dissatisfied or angry in your personal life? Are we inured to violence due to the proliferation of violent video games and movies? Are we ignoring mental wellness?

I believe this has much less to do with guns and a lot more to do about our society. This woman lived with her parents. She was obviously very troubled. Where were they in getting her the help she obviously needed? Not that I'm blaming them, but we do have a responsibility to look out for each other. I feel strongly that addressing mental health is desperately needed to avoid these sorts of actions.

Back in the 1960s, I believe a larger percentage of households had at least one firearm in the home and this wasn't an issue.

I am ALL FOR vetting people who wish to own firearms. (Fair disclosure--I own firearms and my process to get my license took 2 years and included not only passing a safety course, but a background check, fingerprinting, two letters of reference and an in-person interview). I am ALL FOR a federal standard instead of a state-by-state standard (which I think is sorely needed). I am ALL FOR limiting high-capacity magazines and other rapid-fire mechanisms that the average firearms owner doesn't need (nor, usually, wants). What I am not in favor of is a wholesale ban on a particular firearm (which I do not own, FYI) because it looks scary and has been used in the commission of crimes. Let's address the root causes--it's more than the gun.

Prayers for Nashville. Prayers for our leadership to realize this is much more complex than just passing "gun laws."

Cat

I feel strongly that addressing mental health is desperately needed to avoid these sorts of actions.

The Police Chief said this person was under medical care for mental health issues...and the parents wanted them to get rid of the one firearm they knew of. What the parents weren't aware of was that this person had at least 7 firearms stashed in different places at the home. Mental health issues are RISING in this country and I pray that something can be done to help these poor souls. Hurt people hurt people.

Back in the 1960s, I believe a larger percentage of households had at least one firearm in the home and this wasn't an issue.

I can remember filled gun racks in pickup trucks in the parking lot at my high school in the 70's. NONE of us were worried about something like this happening back then.

When will it stop?

We learn from every instance just what to do to keep the risk as minimal as possible. I read where the head of the school was very proactive in teaching the teachers and students what to do in an active shooter instance. This probably saved many lives.

For every instance like this...I can find at least 10 instances where lives were SAVED because a person had a gun to take down an assailant. These instances aren't reported as widely as something like this...but I read about it every day in the news. The Police Chief said another place was actually targeted...but it was apparently more heavily guarded...so this school became the target. When we level the field...chances of something like this happening get less and less.

For ME...a belief in God and His great mercy has led to a life of gratitude and respect for others. It seems logical...to ME...that a decline in belief in a higher power is also correlated to a rise in evil actions like this. That is only one data point though.

The heroism of these Blessed souls is starting to come out. I heard this morning that one of the children killed was reaching for the fire alarm when she was shot. She thought of others before herself. What an amazing person she was even in her young life! If only we could all live our lives this way...what a truly WONDERFUL world this would be.

My daughter is an elementary school principal. She is angry. Very angry.

She said no one can imagine the drills they have to go through at least once a month and TRYING to explain to very young children that they must not talk or laugh or make any noise as they have hiding places to go to. Most little kids are aware of school shootings and understand - but some don't (shielded by parents) so usually they have to explain that a bad person might be in the school and they have to hide and it scares the kids. The drills are important to SAVE their lives but she said it's so difficult and she feels little kids should NOT have to be subject to what she considers an adult situation. But they have to do it, to talk to the kids and warn them to be quiet so as to protect ALL the kids.

It's disgusting that nothing more is being done to protect these kids and the devoted faculty members.

But they have to do it, to talk to the kids and warn them to be quiet so as to protect ALL the kids.

It IS scary for them I bet. I have family members who are teachers. One of the things they are told when they lock their doors for the drills is to NOT open the door for ANY reason. If a child goes to the bathroom, for instance, and runs back to the room when the drill starts...the teachers can't unlock the door for them. That is a sickening feeling. You can hear someone telling the officers from the bodycam footage in the shooting that 2 children were unaccounted for. I wondered if these children were in a situation like that...where they couldn't get back into the classroom. It's so SAD.

I wasn't old enough to be in school when they were doing drills for a nuclear bomb attack...but I do remember going through many fire drills throughout the years at school. I also taught our children what to do in case of a fire...stemming from those drills. Being prepared is always a good way to go...especially in cases like this. For ME...it did ease my mind to be able to know what to do...just in case. I panic in stressful situations...so having a plan helped me. Thankfully I never had to be in a situation like that.

It's disgusting that nothing more is being done to protect these kids and the devoted faculty members.

I believe a lesson is learned each time one of these tragedies occurs. The drills at this school apparently went well because this shooter killed anyone they could find. Thankfully the students and teachers knew what to do to keep the shooter from being able to go into classrooms. Having the doors locked on the outside made the shooter have to shoot their way in...causing everyone in the school to be alerted. Maybe bulletproof glass might be a consideration in the future?

I don't know what the answer is. How can we protect our precious children from someone who is determined to harm them? How does someone under medical care with a mental issue be able to plan...surveil...map out...and then carry out something so heinous without anyone near them KNOWING about it...for WEEKS before it happens? I just hope that this doesn't have copycat reverberations like it usually has happened in the past.

I'm just SICK about this!! So senseless. I had to change the channel on the news today when they were showing parts of the video of the shooter shooting the glass door to gain entry. Just so so so tragic and senseless. My H is a first responder and we're not far from this location. His unit didn't respond but the EMS community is a small world and it's shaken everyone to their core. This is literally their worst nightmare as a first responder - something like this. Awful and our hearts and prayers go out to the families and to the Nashville community.

Schools need to be better protected. There is a school in Indiana, Southwestern High School, that has top notch security on every level. All schools should be as well protected. Instead of funneling our money into things elsewhere, it should go towards protecting our children.

Instead of funneling our money into things elsewhere, it should go towards protecting our children.

I agree. One of my family members sent me a video showing the door block that the teachers in their school uses. It was cheap...quick...and STRONG!! I was surprised that something this EASY hadn't been thought of before. Then again...it hadn't been something we ever worried about even when my children were in school a decade or so ago.

I believe it was a parent of a victim from the Parkland school shooting who said that the shooting only lasted 7 minutes in that school...but 17 precious souls lost their lives. This time though...with the measures that were taken...the shooter was in the building for 14 minutes...but the deaths were much lower than it could have been. It is SICKENING that something like this happens...but hopefully protective measures will one day make these senseless actions a thing of the past.

My H is a first responder...

Please tell your H "THANK YOU" for his service. I can't imagine having to do that sort of job. Heck...I couldn't even help my own children when they had a cut that drew blood...I almost fainted several times.