On Aug. 26, WDBJ7’s reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were gunned down in the middle of a live broadcast interview. The shooter was identified as former co-worker Bryce Williams.
At the time of the shooting, Alison Parker was interviewing the executive director of the local chamber of commerce, Vicki Gardner. The prime targets of the attack were Parker and Ward, although Gardner was injured during the shootout. Unfortunately, Parker and Ward ended up losing their lives. Following the shooting Williams killed himself.
Although there are speculations being made about the attack, the main reason appears to be animosity in the workplace. This incident has not only further shed light on the issue of psychological pressure in the workplace, but also brought the subject of gun laws back into the spotlight.
When I first heard about the attacks I thought that it was just another gun attack. I wasn’t happy with myself for thinking that, but I couldn’t help thinking of how accustomed I have become to these violent incidents.
People who claim that the possession of a gun was necessary for their personal safety have perpetrated a majority of crimes that have occurred relating to gun laws over the past few years. These people ultimately ended up taking away the lives of others.
Parker and Ward were actually the seventh and eighth journalists killed while fulfilling their reporting duties in the last two decades. This shooting also brings up the question of how safe or unsafe the job of any journalist can be, as it is well known that there are many times when a journalist is in the field in an area that is unsafe.
Since the subject of workplace stress and tension is also brought up, it is important that, as professionals, we realize how great of an issue this can become in the future- a man was condemned to kill his own co-workers and himself because of it. Three lives were lost for a reason that no one may ever really know.
It has been said, and once again proven, that guns do not kill people, people do.
As long as the questions surrounding gun laws and gun control continues, we need to understand that humans are considered to be one of the most intelligent and diligent creatures. If we can’t control our own emotions and actions, then what good are we? Self-control should be the hot issue rather than gun control since it’s clear that a lack of self-control is what has been going on for awhile now.
It remains to be seen whether this event will act as a catalyst to boost any actions to be taken in respect to gun laws and psychological disorders related to stress.
