Massacre seems to be the only appropriate word.

Here is the story.

Someone started shooting at a college in Virginia today, over 30 dead, more injured. It seems the shooter chained the doors. My prayers for all of those affected, the families and friends of those killed or injured, and for everyone who lived through this.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Psalm 46:1-3
Over the next few weeks, we will learn more about this than we want to know, the gunner’s life story will be discussed with zeal, the media and politicians will have a field day, arguments over everything under the sun that can be linked to this incident will arise. But more than thirty people are dead right now and however hard we may try to rationalize and understand it, over thirty seats will be empty next time the families of the victims sit down to eat dinner and there is no good reason why to be found anywhere on earth. And that is the important thing to remember in all of this.

I cannot imagine what the families of the slain are going though, or the grief of their friends at suffering such senseless loss. Nor can I comprehend the trauma of the survivors. My thoughts and prayers go with them.

Michael