Shots into crowds of innocent people have unfortunately been commonplace within America. School shootings were especially major headlines, as terrified onlookers and grieving parents called for gun control and some justice for the fallen. Former President Barack Obama attempt to address this with several firearm laws that were considered by many to be too restrictive, and in potential violation of the second amendment. Even as these massacres continue, with over a 142 since 2013 and a multitude of other public shootings, they are somewhat put to the wayside and ignored with time as it seems as though no one has an answer. That is, if they’re even reported on anything but local stations. One particular tragedy occurred over the weekend at a country music festival has garnered national attention.

The largest mass shooting in U.S history was carried out by 64 year-old Stephen Craig Paddock of Nevada. At the time of writing, Paddock carried out the attack with 12 modified assault weapons, and entered his room on the 32 second floor of a hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, and proceed to open fire with bursts of automatic fire into the crowd gathered at the country music and fall festival taking place below him. Many in the ground dropped the ground, not realising that this made them open targets for the marksman high above, while the rest of the crowd fled and trampled one another to flee. By the time the dust settled, over 59 were dead, and 527 injured by the shooter.

One final gunshot rang out later that night, the gunman making himself his final victim. The scene below, one of crimson blood and strewn bodies, phones continuing to ring in a desperation with the fears of loved ones.

Unlike many shootings before, this one didn’t leave people on the outside unscarred. It differs from so many other massacres of this kind; no motive we know of, no terrorist affiliation to speak of, not even a reportable mental illness to explain this man’s action. In a interview with the gunman’s brother, Eric paddock, talks about what in a stunned tone of disbelief, commenting on how he had just seen him days earlier and he had “Seen nothing wrong”, and “It’s like an asteroid fell out of the sky… It just makes no sense”.

President Trump responded to the event, having a moment of silence and calling the massacre an “Absolute act of evil” and calling out for unity, to find the things in one another such as faith to find comfort in this time of loss. A mandate from the President requested that all government buildings fly their flags at half-staff to honor the memories of the victims.

We can only hope that the  result of this horrible tragedy isn’t going to be another update to the Wikipedia Page on the largest massacre carried out by a single gunman in U.S history. Some feared, others hoped, that this would rekindle a discussion around gun rights, or another long term solution to issues such as these, but based of past precedent nothing will come of these talks.

For now, with a hurricane and now nation grief, we should take a moment to reflect and on how one gunman, in a year of constant, loud, politically driven turmoil, silenced the nation with the defining crack of assault rifle.