My Family Was 20 Steps From a Mass Shooting. I Wish I’d Done 3 Things Differently

On July 26, a mass shooting took place at the Bite of Seattle festival in Seattle Center, leaving seven people injured, with three fatalities. My family was just 20 steps away from the scene of the tragedy. Reflecting on the incident, I wish I had taken three actions differently. Firstly, my son, who does not own a phone or a watch, would have been unable to contact anyone in the crowd if he hadn't been spotted by my daughter.

To prevent such a scenario, I plan to get my son a smartwatch that can make calls, ensuring he won't leave it unattended and can reach out in case of an emergency. Secondly, we hadn't established an emergency plan beforehand. My daughter, however, has been trained through regular lockdown drills in her school, which she has practiced ever since she was young.

Therefore, my wife and I have decided to designate specific places for each family member to wait in case of an emergency, and we will rehearse this plan together. The third mistake I made was dismissing the importance of regular lockdown drills. While I criticized them in the past, my wife's experience during the shooting showed me the value of such preparedness.

Lastly, the aftermath of the event was challenging as each family member handled the situation differently. While my son wanted to talk about the incident immediately, my daughter preferred silence, and my wife needed to express her emotions openly. It became clear that all four reactions were valid and necessary. The key takeaway from this experience is that we must trust in our children's ability to learn and adapt to such situations, even if we cannot control the dangers they may face. As a parent, I must also provide a safe space for them to share their feelings and emotions.