Columbine. Pulse. Aurora. Navy Yard. These are a few of the incidents featured in Showtime’s documentary series Active Shooter. Eight heart wrenching episodes tell the story of the epidemic that has our classrooms and public spaces under siege. Every 19 days there is a shooting reported in the United States, many perpetrated by people who seemed normal and had legally obtained weaponry some time prior to carrying out their plans.
Using live footage and survivor accounts, each episode explores the how, what, why, when and where that made each particular event possible. Hate, public policy, emergency responders failures, Brady Bill loopholes and failure to detect and successfully treat mental health issues are a few of the themes discussed, which many times are juxtaposed with the resilience, hope, unity and strength of the affected communities. A true testament of how good and evil coexist and shape our cultural norms and expectations.
This series will tug at the heart strings to inspire audiences to reconsider their stance on current gun control policies and on the way we treat people who need help to become emotionally and mentally fit. It puts the burden on us as citizens to come up with activities that can help improve public safety, and to not fall in the trap of thinking mass shootings are an unavoidable part of modern society. The events are presented tastefully and poignantly to remind us that the innocent lives lost should not have been in vain.
Watch on demand or through applications that stream Showtime content.
Mrs. Enginerd - Nerd Whisperer 