Over the last two weeks, we've had two of the most violent shooting rampages in our region's history. First there was the shooting in Jackson where a man shot his wife, stepson and two daughters before shooting himself. Only the wife and her 2-year-old daughter survived. Then on Sunday the unthinkable happened again: a Perryville man shot his wife and two brothers-in-law and killed himself. Allen Kennon survived the gunshot.

That's six deaths and two serious injuries within 30 miles.

These violent acts were painful, cowardly and senseless. They were performed by men who didn't have the discipline to control their actions nor the fortitude to face life's struggles. Thanks to them, murder-suicides involving multiple people are no longer unthinkable acts in Southeast Missouri.

We hope advice given by law enforcement and abuse prevention experts will be taken seriously as a result of these domestic tragedies. If you are trying to separate from a person who is controlling or has a temper, please get the police involved when you try to move out. Don't think that it couldn't happen to you.