More Details on Aztec High School Shooting

Slowly more information is coming forth about the shooting at Aztec High School that left 3 people dead in New Mexico.  Two of the deceased were students and the third was the shooter. According to KOB.com the shootings were planned by a former student identified as 21 year old William Atchison from Aztec.  

Suspected shooter, William Atchison (KOB.com)

Atchison apparently gained access to the school by "disguising himself" as a high school student.  At 21 years old that probably wasn't too difficult to do. According to law enforcement officials who executed a search warrant at Atchison's residence, a piece of paper was found that pointed to planning of this event.  It reportedly said "work, pack up, prep, walk, die".  The paper was found in a wastebasket.  There was more evidence discovered on a thumb drive for Atchison's computer that pointed to a planned attack.  According to the Aztec Police Chief, Atchison purchased the handgun used in the attack legally in November and he had several magazines with him.  

The first victim he went after was Francisco Fernandez - he was killed in the boy's restroom.  There has been no motive for the murder of Fernandez offered and police believe he was a random target.  Atchison then reportedly walked up and down the school hallways "firing at random".  It's surprising that he was not able to gain access to a classroom full of students and shoot at them.  The death toll could have been a lot higher.  Thankfully the police were reportedly there within a minute of the distress call.

KOB.com is reporting that the police shot out windows to gain access to the locked down school just moments before Atchison killed himself.  Law enforcement officials are praising the actions of the school officials who quickly made that announcement and locked down the school so quickly.  I went to high school in a small town, and I can't imagine this happening.  Everyone knows everyone in these small communities which makes it that much more devastating.

Casey Jordan-Marquez & Francisco "Paco" Fernandez (GoFundMe)

These two beautiful lives have been lost - for what?  Was it random?  What did Atchison have against Aztec High students?  Police officials believe Francisco was in the wrong place at the wrong time - the restroom.  He wouldn't have stood a chance trapped in a bathroom with a gunman.  How cowardly can a killer be?  I feel the motive for all of this will be revealed when law enforcement completes their investigation and the findings on Atchison's hard drive may be telling.  Did he even know the victims?  One thing is for sure, there were many people who did know and love these two innocent young people with their whole lives ahead of them.  Why why why does this keep happening?  It's such a disturbing trend.

I worry constantly about my sister Kathy and her husband Robert, both of whom are long time high school teachers.  They have next to nothing in the way of security at their school.  Every time I hear one of these stories I pray it's not THEIR school.  

What can we as US Citizens do to combat this growing trend of gun violence?  It's not just at schools, churches are not even sacred.  It's truly frightening what's happening out there.  Why is our society becoming so violent?  You always hope that love overcomes hate and peace prevails over war.  That doesn't seem to be the case but we can't give up on our society.  Something needs to be fixed and we are the ones who need to brainstorm and contact our local and state legislators and demand change.  It can happen if we stand together.  The world is going in the wrong direction and we need to correct this before the next generation is so used to "active shooter" drills that it doesn't phase them.

This is no video game, and these aren't some avatars gettinCMarg gunned down.  This is real life and these are real people with real families, friends, hopes and dreams.  I for one am pissed!  This needs to stop.  President Trump, what are you going to do to get the ball rolling??