The words of a school official, still reeling from another heartbreaking tragedy that no one foresaw, sadly illustrate the world in which we live.

“We’re not just any old place, Chardon,” Superintendent Joseph Bergant II said. “This is every place. As you’ve seen in the past, this can happen anywhere, proof of what we had yesterday.”

Chardon, Ohio is a sleepy little town of about 5,000 people in the northern part of the state. Chardon High School is similar to many in Lawrence County, although maybe a little larger with its 1,100 students.

The school was the site of our nation’s most recent school shooting as three students were killed and several others injured by a classmate who opened fire in the cafeteria for reasons no one can explain at this time.

This is a tragedy for this close-knit community and one that all of us here in Lawrence County and beyond should be able to empathize with. Our hearts go out to the families who lost loved ones and to this entire community that has been shaken.

Anyone who believes that this couldn’t happen here is out of touch with reality and ignorant to the dangers our children face in this world.

What could have been done differently? Who knows, at this point? Many questions remain unanswered but all accounts show that a safety plan was in place and it was implemented quickly.

But the lesson remains the same and that is we must not take anything for granted and always be prepared.