Once again, our country is crying out to Congress, to God, to anyone who will listen, “Do something!” But what is that something that we, as a country, need to do to stop these senseless shootings, particularly school shootings, where innocent people of all ages are shot down and murdered while they are going about their daily routine.
I have heard the cries of “Why is this happening so frequently?” but no one has an answer. From my vantage point, that of a grandmother and great grandmother, I have to say, follow the money.
Where does someone like the latest shooter, Salvador Ramos, get the money to buy an AR-15, over 300 bullets and a handgun in less than two weeks. Anyone who has even looked at the prices of guns and ammo lately will attest to the fact that they are not cheap. My research shows the current price of an AR15 to be $685.47, a decrease in price of $86.36 in recent months. The 223 ammunition, currently runs between $45-70 for 50 rounds. According to early reports, due to be confirmed over time, is that Ramos purchased over 300 rounds. That would have been a minimum of $270 – $420.
Early reports, yet to be confirmed, are that Ramos had a second weapon, allegedly a handgun. According to MSN – if you can believe their reporting – he bought these weapons two weeks ago, on his 18th birthday. Once again, where did he get the money? I don’t know but I question that he would have received that much money – $685.47 + $270(+) = $955.47 + whatever the handgun and ammo cost – for his 18th birthday from family. Apparently, he didn’t have any friends so where did the money come from? Did he have a job? No reports of such. Did he steal it? Once again, no reports at this point. Where did he get the money to buy over $1,000 in guns and ammo?
Ramos is dead now, which is a blessing to all but maybe his family. I’m sure they loved him and hoped for better things for him, but that is out of the scope of things now. Certainly, he left a memorable statement as he made his way off of this earth – not a good one but a memorable one.
Reports are beginning to trickle out that there were ‘issues’ with this 18-year-old guy. He dropped out of high school and apparently fell through the cracks not being missed by anyone. He got lost in the Covid shut down and wasn’t able to make his way out to reality, but he did manage to have some money. Where did it come from?
There are things we will never know, held from us by those who are protecting us, or themselves. But this needs to be investigated completely, thoroughly, and then again. Who was behind this shooting? Was it a planned event? Surely, he had been planning it for some time – at least two weeks, if not longer. But where did he get the money? Who taught him to shoot? How did he know where to aim at the children? Why was he so angry?
Time will show that he was mentally ill. That is no surprise. Anyone shooting children has to be mentally ill as well as evil. So again, where does a mentally ill, high-school-dropout get $1,000+? How does he learn to shoot? How does he plan such an attack? Who helped him? What is being covered up?
I don’t have the answers to any of these questions, but I certainly do have questions. My questions aren’t helping 19 grieving families at this time– none of them will ever be the same again – but I am sure they also have questions. They deserve answers. We all deserve answers. Why? How? Who?
May God wrap His loving arms around these devastated families and help them through this hideous time in their lives. My heart goes out to them. I cannot imagine the anguish they are suffering. They deserve answers.
Heartland Heartbeat 