On July 3, 2024, what was meant to be a routine shopping trip turned into a nightmare for my family and I at Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood, Washington. Accompanied by my three children—my son and two daughters—we arrived at the mall around 5:45. Little did we know, this day would forever be etched in our memories for all the wrong reasons.
As my older daughter and son headed to another store, briefly splitting up from us for a moment, I stayed with my younger daughter, who is just 11 years old. Suddenly, we heard a deafening gunshot. Panic erupted, shattering the mall’s cheerful atmosphere into chaos. Instinctively, I shouted for the store manager to close the doors, and we sought refuge in the storage room, trembling with fear and uncertainty.
Though the arrival of the police brought a little control to the situation, the aftermath revealed a devastating reality. A thirteen-year old girl was shot in the chest and rushed to the hospital. Her life was tragically cut short that same day in a senseless act of violence. She wasn’t involved in anything that led to gunfire; she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time—a young girl with her whole life ahead of her.
The shock and horror of witnessing such violence first-hand have left deep scars on my children and I. My younger daughter, in particular, was overwhelmed with panic, crying helplessly. Even after we returned home, the psychological wounds lingered. The once mundane act of visiting a mall now evokes great fear and reluctance in my family.
Jayda Woods, who is the same age as my son, stands as a stark reminder of how fleeting life can be. This experience has forced me to confront the disturbing reality of gun violence in our society. A day that should have been normal like any other turned into a poignant reminder of the rampant gun violence that plagues our communities. How many more innocent lives must be lost before we take decisive action to address this epidemic?
As parents, Karina and I are grappling with how to reassure our children that such horrors won’t happen again. Our kids, still shaken, ask questions for which there are no easy answers. How do you explain such evil to an innocent child? How do you reassure them that a trip to a mall, grocery store, a movie theatre, or even to their own school won’t end in tragedy?
In the aftermath of this tragedy, my family and I are seeking solace and healing. We are deeply grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and the mall’s security team, whose actions undoubtedly prevented further harm. However, the scars of that day will take time to heal.
Our hearts ache for Jayda’s family and all those affected by senseless violence. My wife, Karina Hayat, raised another perspective that deeply shook me: “Just imagine her parents, who likely dropped her off at the mall expecting her to return happy and cheerful, only to receive her back lifeless.”
No one should have to endure the pain of losing a loved one to such meaningless acts. The news will cycle on, another tragic shooting statistic. But for the families shattered, this is more than a statistic. This is a gaping wound in the fabric of our society.
We are failing our children. We are clinging to a gun culture that prioritizes easy access to weapons over the safety of our communities. The stability in the overall rate of gun ownership in the US, with approximately 30-40% of households owning at least one gun in recent decades, is deeply concerning. Every year, countless lives are tragically cut short by gun violence in its various forms. How many more innocent lives need to be lost before we take action?
This is a call to action. To our lawmakers, to our communities, to ourselves: We need change. We need stricter gun control laws and comprehensive legislation that addresses the loopholes in the current gun laws, ensuring that firearms do not end up in the wrong hands. We need mental health resources readily available.
Let’s make “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” more than just a hollow phrase. We owe it to our children, our communities, and ourselves to create a safer world where everyone can feel secure in public spaces.
This isn’t just a US problem; gun violence plagues Canada as well. In 2020, Statistics Canada reported a troubling rate of 29 victims of firearm-related violence per 100,000 people. This statistic exposes the harsh reality that gun violence transcends borders.
Have you or someone you know ever experienced gun violence first-hand