In Which ‘Violent Ends’ Evokes a Flurry of Emotions

Twenty-two minutes. That's how long it took Kirby Matheson to walk into his school with a gun, killing six and injuring five others.

This collaboration is a first, seventeen of YA's most popular authors coming together to share the viewpoints of those affected by this school shooting.

Reports of school shootings occur in a chillingly too frequent basis. They talk of the victims, of the shooter. In many cases, the individual yielding the gun takes his own life before questions can be answered.  Survivors are left wondering why.

This isn’t your typical story. These authors have crafted a unique perspective of a school shooting; one that hasn’t been done before. Each address a different perspective, not necessarily of the day of the shooting but the days and weeks and years that led up to it and the days and weeks that follow.

Though told separately, with a different voice, they all surround on individual, and one instance.   Kirby Matheson was a boy who played in the school band. He had friends, was never in trouble at school before. Yet something caused a switch in Kirby to change, to turn him into the monster that killed & injured those unsuspecting individuals.  It wasn’t just one act that caused Kirby to transform into a gun-wielding killer. Instead, it was a culmination of events, not necessarily focused on him but most certainly within his perspective, that forced him to believe that taking the lives of those students was the only way out.

I’m not going to lie. This book broke my heart. I have a fifteen-year-old son. It evoked in me a violent rage of emotions that came spiraling out, unrelenting, without my control. But it’s a book that should be read. It should be placed in the hands of students, of parents, of teachers and law enforcement. When we hear of a school shooting, our minds automatically create this rudimentary image of the killer: a crazed individual with a history of violence and trouble with the authorities. But what if he’s not?

Even in the case of a fictional character, Kirby Matheson, people are quick to reflect back on each action of his that they can recall. Sometimes they even fabricate them, just to put together the puzzle that will explain how and why this happened. And we all make rash judgements/decisions about the motivation.  But it keeps happening. Instead of focusing on after, how about we focus on before. On those individuals who are silently crying out for help.  Those who have been bullied (or not). Those who have a broken family (or not). Those who are abused at home (or not).  See the problem? THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL.

We should focus on each and every student. Providing them the care, the nurturing, the support before the warning signs are apparent.   The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it’s about time we villagers stood up to protect and raise our children. To prevent another series of shooting victims, both behind of and in front of the gun. There is not one person, one individual, one set of parents to blame when something like this happens. It is the responsibility of not just a family, or a friend, to take notice.  We all know the warning signs.  We hear it all the time “I knew something like this was going to happen.” Really? Then why the hell didn’t you say something? Speak up, don’t be the Monday morning quarterback.  Be the one that steps in, notifies someone, before another shooting takes place.

This book, this post, it will all generate a flurry of discussion and comments. Positive or negative, it’s a discussion that needs to take place. I am tired of the news reports following another shooting. The families of victims, of the killer, their lives forever changed. It needs to stop. Putting up metal detectors won’t stop it; it hasn’t yet. We are the only ones who can stop it.