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On September 4, 2024, there was a school shooting near Winder, Georgia at Apalachee High School. Four people were killed, two teachers and two students, and the suspected assailant is 14-year-old Colt Gray who was apprehended sometime afterwards. As sad as it is, mass shootings are a common occurrence in America. The twist to this incident is that the parent of the alleged perpetrator has been arrested. His father, Colin Gray, has been charged with second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter because authorities feel that he is complicit. The official reason offered by prosecutors is that the father made a firearm easily accessible. It's a notion that could be extended to gun brokers, dealers and manufacturers as well. If someone knows a person has criminal intent and willingly assists in that endeavor, then they are an accomplice at that point. In most cases, our parents raise us, and an expectation of society is that values are instilled in us that line up with whatever societal views are at that time. Indeed, parents have other responsibilities which include feeding and clothing their child(ren) as well. But whether someone should be held accountable for another person’s actions is questionable. It seems setting such a precedent would require countless cases to be re-evaluated, especially those concerning minors. Failures and successes as a parent come with the territory. Society itself makes it even more difficult to physically discipline children with tough domestic abuse laws. Corporal punishment is used extensively by the justice system, unbeknownst to the public, and it's the way people are controlled - under threat of violence. Besides the fact that the state dictates how kids are parented (parenting courses, etc.), there are several different people and circumstances that have an influence on the person that we become.