Mass shootings and other instances of random violence have become so commonplace in America, something that is beyond concerning to us as citizens. Just this past week, Virginia journalist Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were shot and killed live on the air. Their murderer, Vester Flannagan, faxed documents to ABC news that cited other shootings as a possible motive for his actions. Flannagan also recorded the shooting on his own camera, later posting them online before taking his own life. With these murders comes the usual gun control debate. However, the more shootings that take place, the clearer it becomes that gun control is not the central issue.

When discussing the shooting of Parker and Ward, Franklin County Sheriff Bill Overton said that "it [was] obvious that [Flannagan] was disturbed in some way." Several other of Flannagan's ex coworkers confirmed this, calling him "unhappy," "difficult to work with," and "angry." It was clear to multiple people that Flannagan was mentally ill in some capacity, yet no action was ever taken. It is becoming impossible to ignore that America needs to seek ways to reform its mental health care system, rather than worrying about gun control laws. This is not to say that shooters like Flannagan need not take responsibility for their actions. Mental illness is not an excuse for violence, but it is a warning sign that cannot be ignored.

In order to prevent shootings, mentally ill people need to be offered support readily. People from low-income neighborhoods must not be discouraged from seeking help, whether for monetary reasons or feelings of shame. Everyday people should be able to spot serious issues with their friends, co-workers, and family, and they should not be embarrassed to offer help.

It is an unfortunate reality that guns are cheaper and more readily available than mental health care. Both sides of the gun control debate deal with the symptoms of the issue, not the root. Stopping this constant rise of shootings can only happen once America addresses the underlying issues with its mental health care system.