2007
Omaha Mall Shooting
December 6, 2007

The tragedy at Westroads Mall merits some comment. The news has been nonstop, preempted all prime time TV programming last night, so nothing to say there. The man who is critically injured is an outstanding member of our congregation, employed in customer service at the mall.

Looking as a nation, the event is not surprising. On the local scene we of course assume it will always happen to someone else. It can happen wherever we are. I find it surprising that we do not have much more of this, given the thousands of depressed persons living among us and the imprecise ways we have of evaluating them. Most families have someone on meds and we have personally dealt with hurting persons who are clever in dropping meds. Or hiding them, or pretending to take them right in your presence. We should not be surprised that persons want to avoid pain and get a clear head.

The state and community health system has a clear role. I hope that everyone recognizes the dilemma. Do you physically restrict persons with erratic behavior? How do you know? Adult protective custody is extremely difficult to implement, as it should be.

This young man lived with a loving family, including persons his own age, who had made good progress in stabilizing him and helping him to function. Worked long enough to get a car. The only gap I see is that they saw him carrying a rifle twice in the last few days and assumed it was for recreation. An assault rifle, not a hunting rifle? How did he access such a weapon, with ammunition, even at home? How do we let anyone with depression have access to that combination? We keep severely depressed persons, who exhibit bizarre behavior, away from ropes and belts. And guns and knives.

For that matter, what is the point of an assault weapon in a private home? The sale of most assault weapons was banned until a few years ago and I saw no argument for selling assault weapons except that the change would garner votes.

Clearly, the whole scene is deeply saddening. May it sensitize us to similar events in Iraq, on a daily basis. Persons go shopping or to work and do not come home, because of a person bent on suicide. The pain of families is deep. And sadly, expected.

A correction on my last newsletter. I ended with some written verse about jigsaw puzzles as a metaphor for relationships. The credit was to the wrong Rabbi. Harold Kushner is famous for his “When Bad Things Happen to Good People,” written following family tragedy. I was in error in jumping to him. Upon checking I found this is from Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, from his book “Honey From the Rock.” Sorry for the confusion.

Lowen