It is much easier to train children to recognise the signs and symptoms of social alienation and violent predisposition than it is to hide under the desks. If the USA isn’t going to ban guns (and it doesn’t seem to be able to) then it should teach developmental psychology instead. Psychology and inclusive programmes that tackle some of these issues at the root cause. As the NRA are keen to point out, guns don’t kill people….people do. And they’re right. But training children to spot others who are struggling and building inclusive programmes around those children is a good place to start.

If it were up to me, I’d ban guns. It works over here in the UK and in most of the rest of the world — but the American Demos and political system doesn’t have the sway. No amount of yelling and abuse for the right from the left will change things. The entrenched views simply become more entrenched.

So in the meantime… don’t teach people how to avoid bullets. Teach them how to spot the warning signs of psychological distress. It’s not enough to say ‘he was always a bit of an odd loner’ in a knowing way after the act itself. There are things that can and should be done in advance of this.