On October 9, 2015, four boys were shot on the campus of Northern Arizona University. Our son Colin was one of the victims.
He had a beautiful soul, a loud, hearty laugh, and the funniest grin ever. He could fill a room with his presence and had a smile that was so infectious; a true joy lived within him. He worked hard and had a kind heart. We only came to know just how many people were really touched by Colin’s life through his tragic death.
My son’s last words were, “Why did you bring a gun here?” At that point, the shooter lifted the gun and shot him twice. Then he shot his friends in midair, as one of them jumped to shield Colin. The third victim was shot twice—once in the neck and once in the hip. The fourth was shot in the back. The shooter’s intention was to kill them all.
Colin died that night. His friends survived, but they were left with deep scars in their hearts, minds and bodies.
All these boys were doing well in school. They held jobs and were so loved by their community. None of them should have experienced this tragedy.