Is the narrative of the Danforth shooter having a mental health issue stopping the average Torontonian from accepting that the city has a gun problem?
We now know half of the guns used in crimes are from here, not the U.S., as in the past.
Are Torontonians trying to convince themselves:
No, there isn’t a gun problem, it’s a mental illness issue.
No, it’s not a terrorist attack, domestic or foreign, it’s mental illness.
As if, in some way, that changes or excuses the discussion, as opposed to adding another layer to it.
The shooter was known to police for having mental health issues, but how does that change the end result?
Of course, the killer had mental health issues; no one in their right mind walks down a city street randomly shooting at people for no apparent reason.
The bigger question is this: if the person was so deeply affected by mental illness, how did he get a gun and know how to use it to cause maximum carnage?
So, yes, there may be a mental health component to this story, but there is a lot more to it than that.
And it does no service to lump the killer in with those that also suffer from mental illness.
That only progresses the stigma that everyone says they’re trying desperately to stop.
Scott Thompson is the host of The Scott Thompson Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.