Another Shooting, Another Child Dead
There have been 2,181 mass shootings since Sandy Hook in 2012
This is Steven Romero. He was only six years old when he was killed yesterday at the Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California. He had gone to the festival with his mother and grandmother, who were also shot and undergoing surgery today. His father, Alberto, was at home with his sister when he got the call that Steven had been shot. He couldn’t believe it, he thought it was a dream.
Authorities have confirmed that three people have been killed and 15 have been injured in yet another mass shooting in America. It happened at a local garlic festival, in a small town on a Sunday afternoon. The main suspect, who was carrying an assault-type rifle, was shot and killed by local police. The Gilroy Police also believe a second person may have been involved. Police believe the shooter entered the festival by cutting a chain link fence even though the festival had tight security, including metal detectors. We need metal detectors now at an outdoor festival in America and they still don’t help.
Since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012, where a gunman walked into a school in Newtown, Connecticut, and killed 20 children, six adults, and himself, we have had 2,181 more mass shootings in America. There have been 246 mass shootings in 2019 and 371 children under the age of 11 have either been injured or suffered gun related deaths.
371 children hurt or killed by guns this year alone.
“There’s nothing I really can do besides try to be with him until I can put him in his resting spot, wherever that is. My son had his whole life to live and he was only six. That’s all I can say.” — Alberto Romero, father of Steven Romero
The gun control issue might seem overwhelming, but there are several little things you can do now that will make a difference. First, if you are a member of the NRA, send back your card and revoke your membership and let them know you will do this until we employ sensible gun restrictions that include mandatory background checks across America that detect felony records, previous arrests and mental illness. You can also tell them you want sensible waiting periods and mandatory training. Everyone can call your Senators and Representatives at (202) 224-3121 to tell them you will no longer vote for any candidate who has an “A” rating from the N.R.A and that you support a ban on unnecessary assault weapons. You can ask that your leaders support a buy-back program that takes unnecessary assault weapons off the streets. You can donate to excellent organizations who fight for sensible gun control like Moms Demand Action and Everytown. This is just a start to help quell this epidemic and it still allows you to be a responsible gun owner.
Alberto Romero will be shopping for a casket instead of school supplies for his son this year. We are headed into another school year where our children will be vulnerable to more mass shootings like this one and regardless of what happens they will be stressed and anxious about their safety at school all year. This is what we’ve become America — numb to the casualties and the deaths of babies for the simple reason that we love our guns more than our own children.
WAKE UP.
Update: The Gilroy shooter has been identified as Santino William Legan, age 19. Although his social media was immediately taken down following his identification, there are unconfirmed reports that he had an Instagram post that contained Might Is Right, by Arthur Desmond who wrote under the pen name Ragnar Redbeard, which is a misogynist white power manifesto. He engaged police officers with an AK-47 style assault weapon that was bought legally in the state of Nevada 20 days ago. Despite taking heavy fire, the officers were able to subdue him with handguns and fatally wound him. Four people have died, including the shooter and 15 have been injured.
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Amee Vanderpool writes the “Shero” Newsletter and is an attorney, contributor to Playboy Magazine, analyst for BBC radio and Director of The Inanna Project. She can be reached at avanderpool@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @girlsreallyrule.