After first reading about the tragic events at Dawson College in Montreal on the CBC website this afternoon, then watching footage on CTV News this evening, I found myself quickly moved to tears. Watching those horrifying images, students running for their lives, blood in the streets, I have found it extremely difficult to slip into journalist-mode and stay detached.
Since Columbine, this kind of scenario has flashed through my mind many times — as I’m sure it has for many students. In the weeks which followed that bloody day, many high school and college students looked at their classmates in a new light. Outsiders became more of a worry, teachers tried harder to identify and “fix” problem students. We all wondered if we were next. I’m sure many people will be thinking similar thoughts when the sun rises tomorrow.
Fortunately, the losses from this incident have been far less than those at Columbine. Thanks, in part, to a quick police response, the shooting has yielded 19 injuries and two deaths, including the shooter. As always, the cost could have been much higher.