Personally, I don’t think the answer lies in “what we can do as a community,” but rather in what we can do personally.

We are always, in varying degress, going to be vulnerable to crime and unexpected violence. But rather than just blithely accept our vulnerability, I think everyone needs to think about personal security and take conscious, intentional steps to do what they can to protect the people they love. I have always encouraged my family to think proactively and to try to be aware of the possibilities of unexpected danger. For us, preparedness includes property security, situational awareness, and a basic understanding of self-defense, including firearm skills. Like anything else, knowledge, training, and skill works for you. Most important is the understanding that when something bad does occur, it is virtually always unforeseen and it happens very fast. Knowing this doesn’t mean you won’t be surprised, but it may mean that you will be able to recover or react more quickly than if you weren’t, even in some small way, mentally prepared.

To think thus does not mean to walk in fear, but rather the opposite. If anything, it is empowering to know that you are less likely to be a victim simply because you are paying attention, you’ve accepted some personaly responsibility, and you have armed yourself with some basic survival techniques.