SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN) – Three years ago, Springfield, Ohio native Matt McQuinn was shot and killed in Aurora, Colorado.
McQuinn was one of 12 people who died when a gunman sprayed a movie theater with bullets.
When Jerri Jackson sees on TV that there’s been another mass shooting, she says her mind automatically goes to the victims’ families.
“Cause I know how we have been traumatized. It’s not just us, it’s the kids that Matt went to school with, the friends he hung around with, his coworkers. It just ripples down to everybody,” said Jackson, who’s son Matt was killed in the Colorado theater shooting in 2012.
What happened at Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino on Wednesday, was the second mass shooting within a weeks time.
The one before that was at a Planned Parenthood, in Colorado Springs the day after Thanksgiving.
“As far as the whole community, I think everybody is starting to get scared about where is it going to be next? How many are there going to be this week?” said Jackson.
As she prepares for the third holiday season without her son, she said this time of year hasn’t gotten any easier.
“People ask me, my mom and Dave ask me, what I want for Christmas. I don’t want anything cause the only thing I want, nobody can do. And that’s bring my son back,” said Jackson.
Calling the gun violence in America, “out of control”, Jackson said lawmakers have to do something to stop innocent lives from being taken. Saying people on both sides of the gun control debate need to find some common ground.
“I understand that it’s our right, but if we’re going to misuse that then you should have that right taken away. As far as one extreme to the other, yes I believe that something has to be worked out that everyone can give and take on issues like this. It has to stop somewhere, and I wish I had a magic wand that we could just stop it,” Jackson said.
The gunman in the Aurora theater shooting was sentenced to life in prison last August.
Since then, Jackson’s husband has returned to work but she says she’s not able to yet.
Jackson remains hopeful that changes regarding gun control will be made but doesn’t anticipate them anytime soon.
