T.

The shootings in Seattle this week have left this mostly-gentle city jittery and profoundly saddened. And being as small a city as it is (or seems to be, at least), there are connections with every one —

At last week's shooting on 23rd and Cherry, a close friend was at the stoplight at the intersection when the act of violence occurred. She called me from her house that evening, in lockdown.

Another friend works at Town Hall, and witnessed the murder that occurred there.

Still another friend frequents Cafe Racer in the University District, and has played music often with some of the victims.

Our bookkeeper (at work) was in lockdown at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center close to where the gunman, surrounded by police, put the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger. If only he had done that first, and spared so many this immeasurable grief.

Earlier in the week yet another friend called to say that her 88-year-old father-in-law locked himself in his bedroom (wife outside the door) and shot himself in the head.

Here's an argument I've heard often from NRA fanatics:

"If only each of these victims had a gun themselves, none of this would have happened, because they would have been able to defend themselves."

That kind of "logic" sends my blood pressure into an upward spiral.

Can we invent something that renders guns & ammo useless? Please?