Intentionality

In Pittsburgh, a man walked into a LA Fitness and opened fire, killing three women and injuring nine others. One story reported that he had made "test runs" earlier in the day and quoted a police officer who said the shooter "had a lot of hatred, he was hell-bent on committing this act, and nothing was going to stop him." Intention.
 
A recent O, The Oprah Magazine article tells the story of Vernetta Cockerham. On November 13, 2002, Cockerham's estranged husband dug graves in the empty lot across the street from the home she shared with her three children and left her a voicemail message. "You and the kids will be in those graves and no one will ever know." On November 19, 2002, Cockerham's oldest daughter was dead and Cockerham had been strangled and had her throat slit. Intention.
 
The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, of which A Woman's Place is a founding member, reports that since Memorial Day, 47 Pennsylvanians have lost their lives to domestic violence. Of that number, 34 were victims. The other 13 were perpetrators who committed suicide or were killed by police. The details of each incident demonstrate a shocking disregard for life, a chilling pattern of premeditation, and a reckless endangerment of children. Intention.

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