To America’s great dismay, yet another school shooting has occurred. However, this time there is a disturbing difference in the culprit, compared to the typical school shooter. The gunman was Jaylen Fryberg, a freshman at Marysville Pilchuck High School in Marysville Washingon. Fryberg entered the school cafeteria, pulled a gun out, and began firing, Oct. 24.

The day before he opened fire in the cafeteria, Fryberg texted his friends to meet and sit with him at the lunch tables. When they had all gathered together at a lunch table, Fryberg revealed himself and his .40-caliber Beretta handgun and then fired at least eight shots at his so-called friends.

As he was shooting, witnesses said he had a “cold” look in his eye, and that he “stared” at the individuals as he shot them. When his rampage was complete, Fryberg turned the gun on himself and ended his life.

The strange thing about this particular shooting is that this was not a seemingly disturbed individual. He was not a person suffering from extreme depression, not a victim of bullying and isolation but a student who appeared normal and healthy. And that is what makes this so bizarre, the lack of a significant motive for such horrific carnage.

Fryberg was an up and coming freshman at his high school. He was popular, being elected a prince during homecoming. He was athletic, playing an important role for his football team. Not only that, but he also had a family and a community that loved him dearly. His descent into violence shocked all parties.

A recent breakup with his long time girlfriend was pointed to as a cause for Fryberg’s massacre, but most people do not go shoot up a school to vent their romantic frustrations.

We cannot forget. If we do, everything around will fall apart. Everything we built, our forefathers built, our ancestors built will crumble. We cannot forget the darkness and light of humanity, we must never forget. — Rees Roggenstein

The implications of this shooting are vast. Perhaps the greatest amongst recent shootings. It shows that every person is capable of great evil. But people are also capable of good. Fryberg had forgotten that, but we, the people, cannot forget. We must remember the pain and the suffering so that we can learn from it. We must remember the love and the joy, so that we can give that back to the newer generations. Past iniquities influence the future.

We cannot forget. If we do, everything around will fall apart. Everything we built, our forefathers built, our ancestors built will crumble. We cannot forget the darkness and light of humanity, our capacity for great evil and great good. We must never forget.

Follow The Feather via Twitter @thefeather,  Instagram @thefeatheronline and Facebook @thefeatheronline. This writer can be reached via Twitter: @RRoggenstein.

For more columns, read the Oct. 27 article, COLUMN: Be a spirited participant at homecoming.