H.H. Dow High School.

We were known for our newspaper, our tennis team and luxury cars in the parking lot. Our teachers won awards, our students went to prestigious colleges and our ACT scores were notable.

But after March 7, we became known for violence. We were called "the shooting range" by our rival high school and our 30-year-old reputation was demolished.

During spring break, I planned to visit teachers at my former high school. Minutes before heading into my car, my best friend called to tell me there had been a shooting.

A shooting. At Dow High. The words simply did not belong in the same sentence and were in fact complete opposites. Dow students are typically more worried about their college applications or Friday night football games — violent school shootings are a hyperbole in the squeaky-clean town of Midland.

But somehow, 17-year-old David Turner shot his ex-girlfriend four times, in outrage, then killed himself in the parking lot of my former high school.

Turner wasn't a Dow student. The Coleman, Mich., resident wasn't familiar with the school before he trudged in, demanding to see 17-year-old Jessica Forsyth.

And Forsyth hadn't been at Dow very long. She transferred from an alternative school to Dow, supposedly to escape Turner.

Forsyth survived the four shots from Turner's .44-caliber Magnum revolver. He then turned the gun on himself, killing himself with a shot to his temple.

It was breaking news on all local channels. Even now, someone has managed to tarnish the image of Dow High by already adding the event under our entry on www.wikipedia.com.

What angers me most isn't that Dow school officials allowed a random boy in to the school. It isn't even that the girl's mother consciously drove her to school, knowing that an angry Turner was there waiting for her. What infuriates me the most is that a person from another school can shoot a girl who had been at Dow for only two days — and ultimately ruin the reputation of a prestigious Michigan high school.

The incident will evoke more than just emotion in Dow students. Local businesses will ultimately be affected, as Midland Public Schools already has stated they have decided to increase security at the high school, making it increasingly difficult for students to be patrons of nearby businesses during the school day.

It's ironic how Midland, a relatively liberal town, can garner a fatal gun-related event on school property and not yet have an uproar concerning gun control. Not only had Turner found a spare key to his family's safe, from where he stole his mother's .44-caliber Magnum revolver, but he had previously been sentenced to 18 months of probation for stealing weapons.

But Midland parents aren't rallying together to toss their guns out just yet. At a school board meeting, one parent voiced concerns related to the outsourcing of custodial services. The parent was worried about the safety of students being around "low-wage, transient workers."

Last I checked, custodians weren't the ones who were shooting students. Rather than educate their children on the importance of gun safety (or — gasp — not owning guns at all), parents are quick to blame others. Fortunately, Turner's family issued an apology for the incident.

Parents shouldn't be the only ones lobbying to protect students. Even Midland residents without kids should be joining together to educate about gun violence. The Midland Free Methodist Church's outdoor sign read "Pray for Dow High Students & Staff." Yes, praying is something that can comfort those affected by the shooting, but the sign forgets that actions speak louder than words.

I would hope that in the near future, Midland puts a strong effort into acknowledging gun safety. While many would contend that gun control is the best policy, guns can be controlled if the public is educated on the true consequences of gun-related decisions.

Events such as this one allow average citizens to see just how fragile life is. The consequences of Turner's actions are of mammoth proportions.

But at the same time, it's comforting to see the fighting spirit Forsyth yields. She has since returned home and is in stable condition. While there are some who turn to irrational violence, there will always be those who stand back up.

Thea Neal is a State News intern. Reach her at nealthea@msu.edu.