At any given time or place, an active gun-shooting can happen. Whether it be at your local corner store, favorite family restaurant,  the movie theatre, workplace, or in school. This is the startling truth of the matter.

 In the state of California, there have been reports of 31 shootings this year according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that tracks shootings in the US. 19 out of 31 shootings, victims were reported dead while others were injured. In total, 49 deaths have been reported alone in the year 2018.

What is really going on and why is this happening? Some cannot fathom the idea of waking up to a tragedy of the most current news shooting, that leaves all of us devasted.

The most recent shooting was reported November 7 in Thousand Oaks, California. In a local restaurant called Borderline Bar & Grill.

Borderline Bar & Grill is a college-student hot spot for hangouts, parties, and even outings for family-friendly occasions.

13 people were reported dead. Including Ventura County sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Helus, along with 22 injured.

One of the surviving victims, Santos Temock, was his first time at the bar. He reported sitting on a bar stool and fell to the ground.   He was unable to move because of his missing leg and he remained on the floor until help arrived. Can one imagine the fear he endured while listening to the sound of gunshots followed by screams of panic and mayhem?

The suspect was identified as Ian David Long. A 28-year-old veteran. Authorities said he had an episode of erratic behavior last spring. Post-traumatic stress disorder may have been the cause.

The Smoking Barrel in Simi Valley may be the source where the shooter purchased his handgun. Should the owner be held liable for what happened at Borderline Bar & Grill? Shortly after the hours of the incident, the store remained closed for the remainder of the day. Coincidence? 

The response to the Borderline Bar & Grill shooting brought attention to the people. 

Does this mean we refrain from going out into the public because of fear for our lives? Why should anyone feel unsafe in places where their interactions are daily. For example, the workplace of restaurant bar and grill just like Borderline.

Place yourself in the shoes of the family waiting to hear if their loved ones made it safely out of harm’s way…or the lives of 22-year-old Cody Hoffman, 23-year-old Justin Meek, 18-year-old Alaina Housley, 21-year-old Noel Sparks, 48-year-old Sean Adler, 21-year-old Blake Dingman, 33-year-old Daniel Manrique, 21-year-old Jake Dunham, or even young adults Kristina Morisette, and Telemachus Orfanos-who were all reported killed.

Rage, anger, sadness, terror, worry, and even wonder are just some of the feelings one could expect to get from such a horrifying incident.

For some time now, many American citizens have been pushing to have stricter gun laws and policies on gun control. However, organizations like the NRA whose main income sources follows through with the purchase of firearms. Though, the Second Amendment states that bearing arms is legal.

But to what extent for restrictions on purchasing and owning a firearm? Can banning guns prevent the tragedies? Or enforcing stricter background checks before purchasing guns? Just a few things to really think about.

This incident really does have all of us shook. It is grieving and difficult to suppress when losing a loved one, a family member or friend. In all, this is straight out dreadful. My heart goes out to all those in the community of Thousand Oaks.

Rio Hondo College encourages students, faculty, and staff to practice and condone active shooter safety procedures. If anyone on campus has any thoughts or feelings of concern, do not hesitate to contact the school’s president body. Do not be afraid to let a fellow colleague, staff, or professor know, there is support. We are all in this together for the safety and well-being of ourselves and others.

RHC has also aligned with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in an attempt to inform and educate on the procedures of an emergency. For more information, you can visit https://www.riohondo.edu/active-shooter/ or http://lasd.org/active-shooting.html.

A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday, Nov. 13 print edition.

Editors Note: Minor edits were made to this article before posting for accommodation.