A new generation of domestic terrorists: The future of America is a violent, orphan spirit
Some see this as a case for "gun control." Others see parental negligence and abandonment
The mugshot of an 11-year-old boy who threatened to shoot up his school should send shivers down the spine of every American. This new generation of terrorists are not escaped convicts, cult leaders, or postal workers.
They’re kids.
We can blame video games, mental health, and bullying, but the truth is: The Creekside Middle School student—who showed off guns and knives to his classmates on a Facetime call—is the product of bad parenting. Substitute bad with any three- to seven-letter word you’d like.
This prepubescent punk, now a felon, allegedly made a “hit list” of people he wanted to kill. With no concept of the value of human life, he lied to police before claiming it was all “a joke.” Thankfully, the weapons were fake…this time. As of publication, he’s not being charged as an adult.
And where exactly are the adults in his life?
Since Columbine (April 20, 1999), there have been more than 415 school shootings, according to The Washington Post. Note that a political magazine—not the federal government—collected and analyzed this data. Although many school mass shootings are committed by adults (e.g. Uvalde; Sandy Hook), trends show increasing gun-related crimes involving suspects under 18.
For every nationally known school shooting that rips through the nation’s conscience, there are hundreds of incidents we never hear about. Sometimes guns are concealed, or drawn but not discharged. Disturbing statistics from 2019 reveal staggering amounts of K-12 students who carry some kind of weapon to school. A majority of the time, the weapon is a firearm.
How did we get here!?
Profile of a killer
I’ve noticed an online debate stirring over this verse: “The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for their parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins.” — Ezekiel 18:20a
This was spoken under an old covenant now fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The term “sins,” or “iniquity” in some translations, is a Hebrew word meaning mischief or depravity. This refers not only to actions but also to the nature of a wicked person. The context primarily deals with sins such as idolatry, adultery, and extortion, and speaks to the matter of atonement, not sentencing for breaking federal laws. When parents or children are truly innocent—in deed and conscience—God will not punish the faultless generation.
This verse does not apply to the following.
Ethan Crumbley
The November 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School, which left four students dead, landed Ethan Crumbley—just 15 at the time—in prison for life without parole. And rightfully so. This case also set a precedent for holding parents responsible when their children commit felony gun crimes on campus. James and Jennifer Crumbley were both sentenced to 10 to 15 years on four counts of involuntary manslaughter. Sadly, the four families lost their suit against the school district and will have to appeal.
Colt Gray
The September 2024 shooting spree at Apalachee High School also took the lives of four people (two students and two staff members) and will likely result in Colt Gray, 14, spending the rest of his life in prison. His father, Colin Gray, not only faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter, but two counts of felony second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. Headlines are still breaking on this story.
What these two mass murders have in common:
Despite evidence of mental issues and violent tendencies, the parents gifted them with guns that would eventually be used in the shootings
Note: Crumbley sketched the crime at his desk moments before, yet his parents and the school staff left him in class. The Grays were questioned by the FBI in 2023 after Colt allegedly made an online threat but no arrests were made
Neither killer had a clear motive (that we know of)
Both experienced some form of parental neglect or abuse
The adults in their lives failed them
Where are the parents?
Children are starving for love, discipline, boundaries, and guidance. The very last thing they need is an excess of privacy and alone time. When was the last time you checked their backpack? Do you know who they’re “friends” with online? What’s beneath their mattress, hidden in their closet, written in their journals? Parents not only have rights granted to them by the federal government—above this, they have the RESPONSIBILITY to steward all that God has entrusted to them.
Sadly, more Ethan Crumbleys and Colt Grays are rising. Talk to your kids.