As a member of the Iowa City community since 1973, I remember vividly the horror and shock that permeated the city in 1991 when it was reported that a physics grad student had gone on a shooting rampage and killed three faculty, a fellow student, and an associate vice president at the University of Iowa.

This incident at the time seemed bizarrely unique. No one talked about a “response time” because it was impossible to tell under the lack of coordination and preparation for such an event.  It was an event that lasted seemingly hours.

Since that time, Everytown for Gun Safety Research reports that these incidents of gunfire in school number some 848 in the time frame of 2013-21. We know from the news reporting that these incidents have become common and the death, trauma, and injuries numerous.

This week, however, at Perry High School, the one thing that politicians and leaders touted was that law enforcement made it to the school with a “response time of 7 minutes”.

Some even thought it was sooner.  I can understand the civic pride in law enforcement and their commitment to the job and I do not want to demean their effort. But I cannot begin to describe the sadness I felt at seeing that this single “measurement of progress” was to be the silver lining in a horrific event. Even 2-7 minutes can result in more chaos and violence when highly efficient guns are involved.

We have better ways of assuring guns are handled safely and are kept out of the hands that potentially have murder and suicide on their minds. Secure gun storage comes to mind. We owe our children better protection and to use what we have learned to improve everyone’s safety.

-Diane Baumbach, Iowa City Resident