In about every school shooting, follow up investigations uncover warning signs, red flags, or statements made by the shooter that no one took seriously or were not brought to the attention of adults who could have intervened. My brother-in-law was killed by a gunman who knew his friend didn't lock up his guns, all those guns were left loaded too. The mall shooter planned the shooting too, as he bought 120 rounds of ammunition and 4 more 30 round magazines in the days preceding the shooting. The mall shooter used the unsecured Stag-15 to kill Steve and Cindy and wound a teenager. It has taken 9 years, but Oregon finally passed a safe storage firearm law. There are many states with safe storage gun laws.

These safe storage firearm laws are not perfect, but at least there are consequences for reckless and irresponsible firearm handling and storage when others are injured and killed. We hold drunk drivers responsible for their actions, restaurants and servers can be held responsible for over serving someone who then kills or injures others while driving impaired. Parents can be held liable for providing alcohol to their underage children who then drive impaired resulting in injury or death of others.

The culture of gun ownership has changed dramatically over the last several decades. Letting the firearm industry, the gun lobby and gun rights extremists control the expectations of the incredible responsibility of gun ownership has gotten us to this level of gun violence in the country. Can we all agree this approach doesn't work! How many more must die and be injured every day in this country before we act? It's not as though we can't solve the problem. There is no overnight fix, nor is there one gun safety law to enact to reduce gun violence. It will take a holistic approach like we've done to reduce drunk driving deaths, smoking deaths, etc.

Our family has compassion and understanding for the families of Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St Juliana, and Justin Shilling as those families of the injured. We’ve been down the same path as those four families. Every shooting since Steve and Cindy were killed brings back the trauma that our family experienced.

The auto industry, distillers, brewers, restaurant associations, law enforcement, highway designers and traffic control engineers have been stepped up to be part of the reduction in impaired driving deaths and injuries. Common laws for driving impaired were crafted across states too.

I quickly discovered after Steve’s death that Oregon had no safe storage gun law. Fortunately, that has changed, but it took 9 years. We still have hap hazard gun laws across our states despite the increasing numbers of gun violence deaths and injuries.

I grew up in Michigan, in fact the high school I went too was in the same league as Oxford High School. When I was in school back there, we practiced fire drills, tornado drills and duck and cover drills, not active shooter drills nor lock down drills. I doubt there are many areas of the country where students and teachers don't practice lockdown and active shooter drills. Why do we accept this as part of our children's lives? My daughter is a teacher who has practiced lock down and active shooter drills. My son had to practice lockdown drills in high school. We only live a few miles from the mall where Steve and Cindy were killed on 12/11/2012.

If you think you and your family are immune from gun violence, you are mistaken! You and I can’t write the laws we live by, but we can elect law makers who will enact gun safety laws and raise the bar to sell and own guns. Why do we accept these shootings as a normal part of American life? When will we demand change? When will we elect enough law makers with the backbone to address gun violence head on?

There are many gun violence prevention organizations across the country, join one in your area. Please take action if you are no longer willing to live with this level of gun violence. Gun violence anywhere impacts us all!

PS I am glad to hear the Oxford High School shooters parents are being held accountable for their reckless actions, it's about time!

Paul Kemp

GOFRO Co-founder