Words cannot begin to capture the depth nor the range of the feelings triggered by the horrific shooting in Las Vegas on Oct. 1. There is grief, of course, and condolences, but those words are pale, pale shades of the emotions that have descended on the families and friends of the 59 people who lost their lives in the shooting.
There is shock and horror among survivors, who are conscious of how close they came to death for reasons that are still inexplicable — and how random and slim the difference between themselves and those who died. Thousands of bullets rained down on them from a modified semi-automatic weapon, fired 500 meters away from a perch 32 floors high. There is astonishment and a tinge of fear among all those who read or hear of this tragedy, and many people must wonder if the concept of safety in a public space is a quaint and outdated notion in America.
There is gratitude and praise for first responders and other individuals who exposed themselves to great danger as they tried to help the victims. Those heroes range from police and rescue workers who cleared the area of the wounded; doctors, nurses and emergency workers who tended to those individuals at the scene and in hospitals and emergency rooms across the city; and ordinary citizens who recognized the need to do something to help, even if it meant that they could not find safety for themselves.