Shooter in Bridgeville, PA

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On Tuesday night, my local community, southwest of Pittsburgh (really a suburb) was racked by a heart wrenching tragedy. This tragedy has been reported on all of the news outlets.

My family first heard about it when my husband was warned (while taking out the garbage) to get in the house and lock up. There was a gunman on the loose. Volumes of emergency vehicles from many communities flew by my house with lights and sirens blaring. The news channel broke in and informed us that a gunman had let loose in a gym .56 miles from my house. My first thought was my daughter, who was visiting her boyfriend about 1 mile on the other side of the gunman's location. I called her and told her to stay put, locked inside. My son experienced his first bout of real fear. Everytime my husband went out on our walled in porch my son started freaking because he was scared that the gunman would get him. The family meeting place was practically in front of our house and helicopters hovered most of the night making it difficult to sleep.

After reports of a domestic dispute it was finally determined overnight that this maniac shot up the gym for one reason...HE HATED WOMEN. He had been spurned throughout his adult life by women. He had been bullied by his brother. A person, who, despite sibling fights, should have been his protector and friend. His brother in law reported that he did not fit the mold of the family, therefore he was an outcast. How can any family do this to a person? I know what it's like to be spurned by part of your family. Fortunately, I have other friends and family that help negate the feelings of loss I experience. I have a beautiful family. It has not been 19 years since my last sexual encounter.

I cannot imagine what has been going through this man's head. Yes, I've read his blog and seen his Youtube.com video. But really, what is really in his head that he hates a gender so much that he plans his own suicide and the mass killing of this group of people? He had no connection to any person in the room. Maybe if he had, or had he not been spurned when he attempted to make friends at the gym, this would not have happened. Or would not have happened there.  He did reach out. He tried counseling and said it did not help. He indicated that he did not want to do this horrendous act at work because they had paid him for the last 10 years. There was a personal connection there that his subconscious would not allow him violate.

Can we now take the time to say hello to that strange neighbor? Maybe a kind word can save a life. Their life or the life of someone else in their environment.

Our community is grieving. A 15 year old boy is an orphan tonight. Could this have been prevented? I don't know. I do know that I am guilty of judging others based on appearance or some other slight mannerism. I take tonight to ask the Lord, yet again, to remind me to think before I speak or respond to others.

May God Bless you and your family and keep them safe.