Don’t blame the gun

I made a mistake. On Sept. 13, I wanted to write a message to Shawn Vestal, asking him not to use the events at Freeman as an anti-gun topic. But I was busy, my daughters attend Freeman. Shawn is a decent person. I’m sure he’s as horrified as the rest of Spokane. But if Shawn went to Freeman, he went as a reporter. My daughter was in the school, she heard the shots and ran for her life. I went as a parent, I felt the fear, and even as a retired soldier, I shed the tears, both of joy and sorrow.

I talked with many parents and listened to many more. No one blamed the gun. Is there blame, yes, but not the gun. I blame the state for its abysmal support of mental health. Not the workers, they can only do so much with so little support. The school did its job, as did many others. The support is wonderful.

If Shawn wants to believe a Michael Bloomberg-funded group, that is his right. Would it be better if a bomb had been used? At Freeman, we don’t blame the tool, only the person using it.

Steven Stuart

Spokane