In case you haven’t read any major newspapers, don’t have access to the internet, or own a television, Marysville-Pilchuck High School is now one on the much-too-big list of school shootings. This past Friday, 15-year-old Jaylen Fryberg, asked his friends (some of them relatives) to meet in the cafeteria. You can address major media for details, but he opened fire and then killed himself.
There are a lot of angles an editorial can take on a story like this:
—The shooter was young (15 years old).
—A 15-year-old had access to a gun.
—The 15-year-old had access to a gun and it could have possibly been a gift from a family member.
There is the issue of having firearms ingrained as part of your culture, a tradition passed along through family, which involves bonds developed through hunting and sport. One account states the gun was a gift from a family member. Another account says the gun was stolen from family. We do not have the editorial staff at this time to delve into the constantly changing details.
But we do know the shooter was part of a prominent local family.
And it will probably take a while to sort out what is truth, semi-truth, or speculation.
So perhaps this is the angle:
He ultimately felt he had to use that gun. And he had access to it.
When it comes down to it, is there any law that could have stopped it?
He was not targeting people randomly. He was focused on friends and relatives. The bigger issue is his willingness to kill versus the tool he used to kill. There is a culture nurturing death and glamorizing it, possibly promoting it.
Unfortunately the family tragedy in Rainier Beach (see page four) reinforces this.
Both these incidents were shocking, confusing, and we needed to acknowledge it. Here at NWAW, we don’t enjoy writing about what access to firearms can do, and discussing the pros or cons. We do address all sides and accept commentaries. But we would rather tell you about development, art, food you might enjoy, and what we should be excited about in our vibrant community.
We prefer not to write about the devastating consequences when you have access to firearms or the psyche of those who possess them.
Hopefully we won’t have to in the future. (end)