Omaha Mall Shooting

acnielsen62/YouTube.com/KETV-TV, Omaha, NE

Nine people dead.
A troubled teenager.
Happy Christmas shopping disrupted.

Robert A. Hawkins, 19, of Bellevue, Nebraska, was fired from a McDonald's; went through a romantic break-up; and had troubles in his life.

It would be easy to ask, why? Why did Hawkins take his frustrations out on people- eight of them dead, several others injured- before taking his own life?

What more could have been done to help this young man? Apparently, everyone who tried to help him did all they could, but was this too little too late?

It's easy to point blame and fingers, but instead of playing the blame game, I think it's time to look to solutions. Answers. Sure, I'm not advocating putting metal detectors into malls, and having armed guards posted at the door- hell, there may have been armed guards there and still, eight people lost their lives- but something has to be done to make sure a tragedy such as the one at Westwood Mall doesn't happen again. If it means metal detectors and armed guards, so be it. If it means 100 police officers...who knows?

Right now, there are no easy answers.
Just pain.
And questions.

May the nine dead- including the shooter, Robert Hawkins- rest in peace. Sure, it's easy for many to condemn the shooter. But, if in death he finds his peace, then may he rest in peace.

For continuing coverage of this tragedy, click on the title, where you'll be connected to KETV-TV, the Hearst-Argyle owned ABC affiliate in Omaha.
(C) 2007, by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.