This past Saturday there was in this country yet another incident of senseless gun violence committed by yet another mentally deranged shooter, a man who in spite of his violent past had no more problem procuring a gun than would a police officer.
This time death hit Westerville, Ohio, a pleasant, normally peaceful suburb of Columbus, the next suburb over from my suburb. This time the shooter was was an ex-felon who nonetheless had no problem procuring a gun; it was as easy as giving the money to a friend who got the gun from one of the hundreds, thousands, who-even-knows-how-many gun-getting places that keep this country awash in guns and death by gunshot wounds.
Old story, tragic new chapter.
This time the victims were two police officers who were answering a call for help from a frightened woman who'd called the police several times in the past on her abusive husband.
And it shouldn't have been.
Call it a mental illness problem, a domestic violence problem, or an ex-felon problem, the problem is that if one mentally ill ex-felon spouse abuser hadn't had been in possession of gun two police officers would still be alive today. Take note, all gun-rights supporters who believe that arming every man, woman, and child in this country is the answer to gun deaths,
This time I expect there'll be the standard-issue outpourings from politicians of thoughts and prayers for the fallen officers and their families but, as usual, no legislative action on putting an end to the firearms free-for-all that reigns in our country from sea shining sea.
And here I am writing another lacrimosa on another gun violence tragedy.
For what, I wonder?
http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180211/grief-love-and-memories-westerville-honors-fallen-officers
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/ohio-police-killings-suspect-illegally-had-gun-records-show/ar-BBJ0vt6?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=UP97DHP
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/10/us/ohio-police-officers-killed/index.html