I would much rather the first shot not have been fired at all.

But it was.

It is so hard, some times to deal with the reality of irrational and murderous acts fueled by hatred so irrationally intense that both the perpetrator and others consumed with hatred see it as justified, and are willing to sacrifice their own lives on that altar, or grant the status of martyrdom to those that do. Hatred mascarading as a principled stand.

There is no way to completely protect society from this.

Even knowing that, we must still try.