... These are the same weapons that found thirteen human targets at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio later that spring. The Kent State tragedy was a result of many factors but not one of these factors primarily prompted the first shot but several factors could have prevented the tragedy. ... In the first four days of May in 1970, Kent State University students demonstrated their frustrations, tensions, worries and concerns of the American people.
For four days prior to the tragic day, the students of Kent State University had a series of riots and uproars. ... Later on that evening there was a disturbance in the streets in the business section of downtown Kent. ... The crowd became boisterous and Kent Mayor Leroy Satrom ordered the streets to be cleared. ... The Kent Municipal Police attempted to move the crowd to the university and the crowd finally broke up after a freak incident involving an individual hanging from a traffic light (Whitney).
On May 2nd around 5:00 pm Mayor Satrom called in the Ohio National Guard, although the Kent State University officials were unaware of this decision until that evening when there was another uprising in the commons area of the university as the students attempted to burn down the ROTC building. The Kent Municipal Fire Department arrived to fight the fire but they were forced to abandon their efforts due to the crowd’s behavior. ... The Ohio National Guard suddenly arrived in Kent surprising everyone on campus, and eventually gained control of the situation. ...
In the years that followed the massacre, the causes of the shootings were heatedly debated both in and out of various courtrooms but there was never a definite answer determined. ...
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted an extensive search on the Kent State tragedy but were never able to pinpoint a definite reason that caused the men to fire. ... If this were true, why would one guardsman have admitted that he fired when his life was not in danger and further state that the guardsmen got together immediately after the shooting and decided to fabricate the story that they were in danger of serious bodily harm or death from students (Stone)? ... ” Unfortunately, the average opinion across America on the tragedy did not provide an extraordinary outpouring of sympathy and support for the victims but as an alternative most of the common people thought that the students invited the tragedy to Kent State and got what they deserved due to their disrespectful actions. ...
In retrospect, the massacre on May 4, 1970 should not have occurred. ... The state of Ohio awarded them with a total of $675,000 to be split up 13 ways and then defendants signed a “statement of regret (Gordon).” It can only be hoped that any situation like the Kent State tragedy can be avoided by this experience and that incidents like this will never again be a part of the life of our nation.
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