The University of Central Florida literally “dodged a bullet” (or several) this week when student, James Seevakumaran, plotted a mass killing. To think of the tragedy that could have happen is quite scary. Luckily no one got hurt, and Seevakumaran ended up taking his own life.
It seems that school shootings are on the rise. From the Columbine High shooting to the killing of innocent children at Sandy Hook, and everything in between, it seems that it’s getting harder to protect people from such devastating events. While it is rare that school violence ends as tragically as it did at Virginia Tech and Lone Star College, it’s common for students- and parents- to worry about something happening to them.
While we may never understand what could drive a person to become so hateful and angry, one will still find themselves wondering why it happened. What influences did this person have that would cause them want to be violent with others? Sometimes, people who become violent are victims of teasing and bullying. They have reached a level of frustration that just causes them to snap and venture over to the dark side. Others may be acting out on behaviors that they’ve seen at home, on television, in video games, in movies, or on the streets. Some may feel isolated and rejected by family or friends, or life itself. While there is no way in stopping school violence completely, there are preventative measures we can take to lessen its occurrence.
For starters, guns should not be easily accessible to other individuals. If you think about it, most school violence is committed by children. They are not old enough to even legally obtain a gun, yet they still get their hands on them. If you are a gun owner, you should have your gun stored and locked away in a safe. Also, schools should offer more counseling services. Transitions in life can be quite stressful on a person, especially if you’re transitioning from teenager to adult. If you are bombarded with events that are impacting your life, a counselor or trusted adult should be there to help you. If you feel unsafe or a being bullied, there is always someone you can go and speak with to help you cope with things.