The head of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says he fears that a drumbeat of mass shootings and other gun violence across the United States could make Americans numb to the bloodshed, fostering apathy to finding solutions rather than galvanizing communities to act.
Director Steve Dettelbach’s comments to The Associated Press came after he met this past week with family members of some of the 18 people killed in October at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine by a U.S. Army reservist who later took his own life.
He said people must not accept that gun violence is a prevalent part of American life.
People I once could say I respected became cold way to fast. It is even shown in many other parts of their life. I always hope they can find the way back to who they were. But I feel like it will take a long time. But I will not give up trying to hold my ground on trying to do the right thing. Remember many will become dull to the world but as long as some of us hold on and show them their is a better way. We can keep hope alive.