[This opinion piece is being published to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the death of Deg, one of the victims of the 2022 Normandale Park shooting that left two people dead and another three injured. The mass shooting was carried out by a man who was angry about a peaceful protest happening in his neighborhood. One woman died at the scene and another was paralyzed from a gunshot wound that left her dependent on a ventilator. Last year, she chose to remove her ventilator. Her death was ruled a homicide.—eds.]
The first time I visited Deg in her home was maybe a month before she took a bullet in the neck at Normandale Park. She was living in her parents’ in-law apartment while finishing graduate school. I met Deg’s parents, but that first time, we didn’t get past polite hellos.
Deg had a term paper conundrum. She had a strong draft, but her instructor’s feedback was confusing. We puzzled through the assignment and her draft. I was sure she would end up writing something insightful and provocative that I would enjoy reading, whether or not my advice proved useful…