[Source: Associated Press, Damian Dovarganes]
Many people tend to forget that mass shootings can happen anywhere and anytime of the day. With mass shootings becoming more frequent, we have heard many tragic stories of shootings at schools, concerts, and even bars. However, who would have expected that a fun night at a bowling alley would turn into a disaster by guns? Only a few days into the new year, there was a recent shooting at a bowling alley on a Friday night of January 4, 2019 at the Gable House Bowl in Torrance, California, leaving three people dead and four injured. According to the Torrance Police Chief, Eve R. Irvine, “[they] have never had an incident like this in the city of Torrance.” With that said, even in cities where the possibility of mass shootings seem to be low, incidents like the Torrance bowling alley could easily happen anywhere.
So, what is the aftermath of these tragic events? When reading about mass shootings from all over the world, or hearing about this tragedy from the news, most people tend to feel sympathy for the victims and become more aware of these kinds of danger. However, they rarely think about the aftermath of mass shootings. For instance, the shooting would strongly influence the public from going to a bowling alley more often.
The aftermath of mass shootings can also include the failure of the businesses itself, like the Torrance bowling alley business, because this kind of incident would decrease its popularity and attractions, resulting in less customers and eventually the disability to continue its business. The Gable House Bowl shooting is a perfect example that conveys what a variety of businesses would have to go through when faced with unexpected events such as shootings.
[Source: Associated Press, Damian Dovarganes]
This tragic event would cause Torrance’s bowling alley business to rebuild after the damage that the shootings have brought upon the business. When asked about her thoughts on this issue, Lily Freeman, a sophomore at Northwood High School confessed, “I was so shocked to hear about the shooting in Torrance because the Gable House Bowl was a place where I used to hang out with my friends all the time last year before moving to Irvine…I would definitely never go there again even if I had the chance to because I would be too scared to.”
Not only shootings cause businesses to shut down and have a negative impact on innocent people, it also stirs up fear within the public and community. A mass shooting itself is very tragic and terrifying, but there are so many consequences that result from it as well. It isn’t fair for people to fear for their lives whenever or wherever they are amidst the worries of dangerous scenarios. Therefore if mass shootings are prevented, it will not only save lives but it will also prevent the failure of businesses and resolve everyone’s fears.
Sungmin Stella Kim, Grade 10
Northwood High School
