A 21-year-old college student was shot and killed at a yoga studio in Tallahassee, along with one other person. The gunman, who had a past of harassing young women, then shot himself. Courtesy of Max Pixel
By Kelli Carmack
On the evening of Nov. 2, Nancy Van Vessem and Maura Binkley headed to Hot Yoga Tallahassee to escape their problems and find peace in a place that is meant to be a meditative sanctuary.
But peace wasn’t what they found.
Scott Beierle, a 40-year-old Florida State University graduate with a past of harassing young women, opened fire at the studio, killing Van Vessem, 61, and Binkley, 21. Beierle then shot and killed himself.
Van Vessem was a faculty member at FSU’s medical school, while Binkley was an FSU student.
I wouldn’t say I’m desensitized to shootings. But as there seems to be one almost every day, I’ve unfortunately gotten to the point where I’m no longer shocked that they happen. However, after hearing Binkley’s story and learning about her as a person, it struck a heavy chord within me.
Binkley and I were very similar. Both 21, studying writing and media and set to graduate in May next year. Both of us have older brothers, just a year apart, and are our dad’s only daughters. Both are known for our bright smiles and futures.
But now one of us is dead.
“This could have been me,” I thought to myself. “What if this was me? Would others read about me, post ‘Thoughts and prayers to her family’ on social media, and then go on with their day, just like how we’re all doing right now with Maura?”
Binkley’s father spoke to Tallahassee Democrat, saying how just days before, he and Maura were talking about how horrible and senseless gun violence was. I can’t imagine what he and his family are going through right now.
As if it couldn’t get worse, I found out that there was another senseless shooting in California as I wrote this. Twelve more innocent victims were killed in Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. The bar was holding its weekly College Country Night. Among the dead was another college student.
Usually when shootings happen, we tend to focus on sending our thoughts and prayers to the victims’ families, but what about the victims? It’s not fair that Binkley, along with Van Vessem and other victims of senseless shootings, won’t be able to live out her life.
She won’t be able to experience the satisfaction one feels as they walk across that graduation stage.
She won’t be able to have her dream wedding day and have that special father-daughter dance with her dad.
She won’t be able to brighten up other people with her big smile anymore. Binkley was robbed of so many of life’s moments, and it’s just not fair.
At this point, I don’t know what to say. I guess the only thing I can say is I’m scared. Scared for my future, scared for my friends’ future, and scared for America’s future.
This goes far deeper than merely feeling for the victims of these senseless shootings. The young women this author of this piece refers to as shot in a yoga studio or otherwise are no more victims of senseless violence than America’s soldiers. Yes, I said that. In fact, one is directly related to the other, our mass shootings are a mere fallout.
We need to come together as a people and admit that ar is for profit, the military weapons placed on our store shelves and so easily accessible are for profit. Our outrageous war economy is coming back to haunt us. Basically, we’ve brought the war zone home.