Quote:Ryan and Kelly Petty, who lost their 14-year-old daughter, Alaina, when suspect Nikolas Cruz open-fired at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, blamed Cruz and the destruction of strong families.

The parents told the Deseret News that before they learned their daughter was killed, they learned about Cruz's past and recognized he didn't receive the help and love he needed.

They unequivocally placed responsibility on the 19-year-old, but instead of advocating for legislation to support gun control, they advocated for legislation to restore family strength.

“Strong families are vital to a peaceful, functioning society,” Ryan told the Deseret News. “When families break down, that's where the problems begin. We need legislators and policymakers to pass legislation and create policies that strengthen families.”

He added that he feels “sad” Cruz didn't get the help he needed and instead chose to take the lives of others.

“Having a strong family is the most important thing, to have support and love and to learn right from wrong,” Kelly explained. “When children don't have that, sometimes they end up doing really bad things. If strong families were encouraged more and fought for more, more kids could be helped and not fall by the wayside and not do things like last week.”

However, the family isn't “removing any responsibility for the choices he's made” and ultimately placed the blame on the 19-year-old.

The Pettys have three other children, 22-year-old Ian, 19-year-old Meghan, and 17-year-old Patrick, the latter of whom was unharmed in the shooting, and the father explained they're focused on “our eternal family.”

“I'm amazed I haven't felt angry,” Ryan said.

https://ijr.com/the-declaration/2018/02/...e=hs_email

There is nothing like dancing on the graves of kids to flash ones own sense of moral superiority.