The trending hashtag ‘#NobodysSafe’ can be put to use regarding the fatal shootings that continue to happen.

Shooting sprees are not rare in the United States. There have been a number of shootings in everyday life situations like going to the movies, going to school, shopping at grocery stores, and even being in the sanctuary of one’s own home.

People fail to realize that there are other alternatives to prevent fatal shootings rather than fighting to create more gun laws.

Many find a sense of comfort in knowing a law has been made and believe that it will protect citizens. However, a gun law is nothing more than another law that can easily be broken, as illustrated through previous incidents.

The massacres that took place in Columbine High School, Sandy Hook Elementary, Arapahoe High School, and Berrendo Middle School will continue to haunt the minds of citizens. Recall the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting that killed 12 and wounded 58 civilians. A recent incident in Florida that left one dead and one wounded over a texting dispute, according to reports by CNN.

In Elkhart, Ind., an associate and a customer died after a gunman walked into Martin’s Supermarket and opened fire. Additionally, there have been incidents of young children who found guns in their homes and accidentally killed themselves or others.

Just yesterday, a teaching assistant was shot dead in the engineering building at Purdue University.

It should be obvious that banning certain guns, conducting criminal background checks, making ‘gun-free’ zones, and creating other new laws will not put an end to these shootings.

Between 1982 and 2012 there have been at least 61 mass murders carried out with firearms across the country, according to Mother Jones magazine, a non-profit news organization. Furthermore, in most cases the killers obtained their weapons legally.

It is time for us to effectively deal with this problem. Gun-free zones provide a golden ticket for potential gunmen to intrude and attack because they know civilians will not have protection to use.

Therefore, it is necessary to guard schools and facilities with trained and armed security guards or policemen at all entryways. Multiple armed guards can pose a threat to potential killers and outside intruders who do not belong. However, this is not the only security measure that needs to be taken.

A common theme in school shootings was the gunman’s ability to walk through the front door with no security measures, according to a bullet-resistant design company Total Security Solutions.

If these doors that are so easily opened become heavily secured, people carrying firearms will have difficulty entering the building.

Bullet-resistant barrier systems should be used for all facilities and not limited to schools. Doors and windows with this type of protection, along with security guards, can prevent many entries of those with intentions to harm others.  

Unfortunately, not all shootings are carried out by adults. Some are done by teenagers and children as young as 4 years old.

Out of 84 total accidental shooting deaths, at least 49 involved children who used a firearm that was left unsecured inside a home, according to Mother Jones magazine.

At this point it is up to the owners of the firearms to secure their weapons in a safe and not underneath a bed or couch.

There have been many victims of gun violence. Even though gun laws contribute to prosecuting the suspect, they do not prevent the actual killing. With the proper protection of buildings, schools and homes, mass shootings will be nearly impossible, death rates will go down, and civilians will truly be safe.

-Chelsea Keyes is a sophomore communication major from Tacoma. She can be contacted at 335-2290 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of Student Publications.