The information about the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022, has been too painful to bear, yet the news keeps getting worse. I am deeply impacted by the surveillance videos released by the Austin American-Statesman on July 12.

I recognize I do not understand the complexities of being in law enforcement, but I cannot understand what took place. I can make this conclusion: the power of an AR-15 is astounding. When an untrained 18-year-old can deter dozens of professional officers, that weapon must be considered an instrument of great communal concern. I know many who responsibly own such a gun, connecting ownership with their right to self-defense. I understand that perspective, but can’t we wait a few years for adolescent males to mature, preventing some of the mentally ill from having such an instrument for carnage? It is a conversation that needs to continue, and reasonable minds can collaborate for solutions.