I'm speaking here as a non-US person. You ARE going to hear other countries getting virtuous about how THEY don't have the shooting problems that the US does. But I'm telling you now - I do NOT think this shooting is part of some epidemic. Nor do I think it's a US problem.
I think this was simply a shooting. A random event which could have happened anywhere in the world. This is NOT "another Columbine" as I heard someone say.
It's a tragedy, no question. It's simply awful. The police were already there, they thought the first shooting was over and the danger was past. What else could they have done?
Sometimes a single person just goes off the deep end. There's often no way to know or prevent. It could have been anywhere.
Somewhere on my library shelves is a forensic report on a shooter some decades ago, who simply decided one day to kill people. With hindsight, the signs were there, but what he did was unthinkable. He had been having some problems, but when they autopsied him they found he (the shooter, who had eventually been shot by police, at great risk to themselves) had a small brain tumour, pressing on a part of his brain which is responsible for violent thoughts and actions. The author of this paper has suggested that other mass shooters should also be carefully autopsied.
Who knows? I daresay there will be thorough investigation, which is cold comfort now to both the dead and living.
But blame for anyone? Any country? Forget it. We've had our own mass shooting here, there was never an explanation for that either.
This was a peaceful, quiet and safe place. So was Port Arthur. Who can ever say why? Peaceful or violent - everywhere is vulnerable.
My heart goes out to everybody affected by this.
Marg