A column by Brad McElhinny, co-editor of the Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Like most people, my reaction to the mass shooting in Orlando was horror and then more horror.
I thought about the victims and their families. I thought about what mindset would drive someone to such an awful act.
And then, because I spend my days in a newsroom, I thought about the people who would have the responsibility to carefully, caringly tell those stories.
Specifically, my thoughts went to Paul Owens — not the least reason being that his image came up in my Facebook feed with the designation “Paul Owens was marked safe during The Shooting in Orlando, Florida.”
A relief, and a reminder that life offers no guarantees for any of us.
I knew Paul during his time at the Charleston Daily Mail in the 1990s…