This article contains sensitive and heartbreaking topics; please take care while reading.
As news out of Nashville, Tennessee, broke late Monday morning, confirming the 129th mass shooting in America this year, people around the country began trying to make sense of yet another tragedy. Feeling like heartache is too weak a word, there is no way to describe what we all feel today, especially because this shooting happened at the Covenant School, where the lives of six people — three of them children — were taken.
Police have shared the names and ages of the victims in Nashville. The three children are Evelyn Dieckhaus, age nine, Hallie Scruggs, age nine, and William Kinney, age eight. The adults are Cynthia Peak, 60, Katherine Koonce, 61, and Mike Hill, 61.
Six lives were taken, which means six families and a slew of friends and loved ones forever altered because by the actions of the woman who entered the school this morning. As news continues to break regarding the identity of the victims and the shooter, everyone has two words in mind, both a request and a demand: do something.
While the idea of doing something seems so broad, the police who showed up at the school are being hailed for saving lives, and rightfully so. With the fallout from the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the time between the police arriving at the Covenant School and the shooter being stopped is mere 14 minutes, and the quick action undeniably saved countless lives.
The question is, however, how do we stop from getting to that part? What needs to change, so that quick action by police is no longer required because mass shootings, especially at schools, don’t happen? Depending on what political agenda you believe in, the answers seem straightforward — but both sides can agree that whatever we’re doing collectively so far, isn’t it.
Cries for something to be done have taken over social media this afternoon, accompanied by a collective feeling of hopelessness lingering in the air.
President Joe Biden spoke on the mass shooting, asking Congress once again to pass his gun control legislation.
A mother took charge of a news broadcast, and it was impossible not to hear the desperation in her voice as she explained that she’d already survived a mass shooting with her son, and now they were faced with another devastating situation while on vacation.
Some citizens aren’t mincing words, sharing deep despair and anger about the fact that nothing is being done about children dying in mass shootings, especially in the place we send our children to learn and grow. For many, the only place children are more than at home with their families is at school — it’s emotionally taxing to know that our children don’t feel safe in schools, that they’re not entirely safe there.
A mother local to the Nashville area shared a Tweet, not requesting that Governor Bill Lee do something but telling him — quite frankly, that he doesn’t need to pray and put on a facade when his actions do not match his words.
A primary question people everywhere are asking is how many lives must be lost before something happens; what must we anticipate next that might actually spur enough of the right emotion to push something into action? How do we make an impact now? Why isn’t the number of lives lost already enough?
Moms Demand Action shared the following tweet, sharing with followers how to get involved in ending gun violence.
Jamie Lee Curtis had four words for the situation, but the sentiment is shared by many around the country.
As news broadcasts from Nashville confirm, the attack was well-planned by the shooter, and the situation is still being heavily discussed; with a lot of information being taken in, officials in the city will work together to piece the puzzle together before sharing more with us in the coming days. We Got This Covered will keep you updated as we learn more. Please remember to take care of yourselves as you continue to take in information regarding the mass shooting. We’re sending our thoughts to those who are affected by this tragedy today.