Yet another tragic school shooting has claimed innocent lives, this time at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Four people—two teachers and two students—were killed, and nine others were injured when a 14-year-old student opened fire on campus. The attack, carried out with an AR-style firearm has again shocked and saddened the nation and as is typical reignited the debate over gun control, with the usual forces calling for stricter gun laws following the heartbreaking event. As a father with school-aged children, I am horrified, and I see the concerns darken their eyes as they worry, “what if that happened to me?” Explaining such senselessness is difficult. All I can do is try to instill in them a strong sense of character, doing what’s right and a sense of compassion. We all need to show a little more compassion.

But as Americans mourn, it is important to acknowledge the complexity of these situations. We, gun owners and non-gun owners alike, are united in grief over the loss of life, particularly those of children. It’s a moment of deep sorrow for everyone, no more so than the parents, siblings, other family members and fellow students of those who were killed or injured. But it is also difficult for those of us who value the Second Amendment and responsible gun ownership, because we know the smoke has barely cleared the air and the tears dried before we are in the political crosshairs. Tragedies such as the shooting at Apalachee High School highlight a troubling reality: while the right to bear arms is fundamental even as it comes under attack, it’s clear we are facing a larger societal issue that simple gun restrictions cannot fix. The issue is much deeper than that.

The Deeper Problem

At the heart of the Apalachee High School tragedy is not just a gun, but an extremely troubled 14-year-old child. The fact that a kid, who reports now reveal from family members had a history of mental and social issues, could access a firearm and commit such heinous violence reveals cracks in our societal, familial and even educational systems. Murder is already illegal. Gun possession by a minor is already illegal. Yet these laws did nothing to stop the bloodshed. Guns have always been a part of our society, maybe even more so when we were a more rural country where firearms were used to protect livestock, provide food for the table and defend the household where law enforcement was too far away to offer any meaningful help.

The suspected shooter’s father, Colin Gray, has been arrested on multiple charges, including involuntary manslaughter, highlighting the need for accountability and punishing someone, really anyone, for the unbearable pain that has been caused. But the real question is: how do we stop this from happening again?

The easy answer, offered by politicians like President Biden and others, is to pass more gun laws—assault weapon bans, universal background checks and other restrictions. But this response does not address the core of the issue. There are already laws that failed to prevent this tragedy. We need real solutions. Americans deserve real solutions, not political bickering that divides us even more than we already are.

Mental Health and Social Breakdown

A growing body of evidence suggests that the rise in mass shootings is closely linked to societal decay. Isolation, mental health struggles, repeated exposure at younger and younger ages to violent images and behavior in media and through video games and the disintegration of the family structure are all significant factors. Yet, these root causes are often ignored in favor of a narrow focus on gun legislation.

Companies spend more than $250 billion each year to advertise their products. They show off their product, they extoll the benefits of their product and they repeat the messaging over and over. And it works, clearly obvious by the simple fact that if it didn’t, the advertising industry would’ve died long ago. So, why do we think when people, particularly children in the formative years of their lives, sit and watch life-like violence and murders take place on programming regardless of where it is viewed (movies, television, social media) or help drive the violence in video games that have also become more life-like, that it won’t have the same effect as advertising? It has to. But the people quick to clamor for more gun laws aren’t also clamoring for limits on this media exposure to children, which would ostensibly have a bigger impact on the issue. In fact, these same people often deride efforts to limit that exposure, revealing an agenda that is not focused on real solutions, but on controlling a part of America.

Most gun owners, certainly the ones I grew up with and know (and there are a lot of them), are among the most responsible citizens in America. They lock up their firearms, practice firearms safety and teach it to their children and advocate for secure storage and responsibility. But that’s an important distinction to make, responsible ownership, not government overreach, is a better path toward a solution. Rather than demonizing firearms or pushing for more regulations that primarily impact law-abiding citizens and do little to actually stem criminal behavior and violence, we must turn our attention to supporting families, addressing mental health and providing stronger social networks for our children. We also must acknowledge kids need guidance and shouldn’t be allowed to indulge every weird fantasy or lifestyle they wish to embrace at the moment. More of our society and today’s parents let their children run wild on whatever social experiment they fancy and what’s worse, we’re all told we need to celebrate them in the process. That’s nonsense. Kids need guidance, they need discipline, they need accountability for their actions and it needs to be delivered consistently and firmly, but also with compassion and love.

At the same time, we need to hold violent criminals accountable for their actions with the laws already in place. Lock them away from those who live peacefully and responsibly, and don’t give them a pass just because they may have grown up with some social disadvantage or suffer from a mental disorder. This is not to say we ignore their needs or the plight of the sick, but we strengthen our mental health resources and institutions to meet their needs while also limiting the risk they pose to the rest of us. In the case of this most recent school shooting, the shooter had given numerous signs that he was struggling mentally and had a propensity for violence, with law enforcement even being called out to his home the year before. In most cases, these threats are known, and our systems fail the innocent in some misguided interpretation of compassion.

A Call for Real Solutions

Georgia is by and large a very strong, pro-gun state with liberal laws on gun ownership and less restrictions than states such as California, Illinois and New Jersey, but loosening restrictions has never been about encouraging violence—it’s about empowering responsible citizens to protect themselves. Governor Brian Kemp emphasized when signing the state’s permitless carry law in 2022 that criminals don’t follow laws; they acquire firearms illegally and with no regard for rules.

This shooting happened despite strict federal laws prohibiting a minor from possessing a firearm. What we need is not another layer of laws that will burden lawful gun owners. Instead, we need to invest in early intervention for at-risk youth, improve school security and foster community and school relationships that can catch warning signs before a tragedy unfolds and provide support networks that will hopefully prevent the desire to commit such violence in the first place.

United in Grief, Strong in Resolve

No one is immune to the pain and sorrow caused by these events. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims, the students and teachers who were impacted, and the entire Winder community. This is not just about guns; it’s about the safety and well-being of our children and communities. Gun owners, like all Americans, want solutions that will actually work—not knee-jerk reactions that strip rights without addressing the true problem.

Let’s honor the lives lost by committing ourselves to real change: a society where children are safe, families are strong and responsible gun ownership is respected, not vilified.