Originally published in Dallas News
Last week, the small town of Murrysville, Pa., was shocked when Alex Hribal, a 16-year-old high school student, went on a stabbing rampage, critically injuring 20 students. Fortunately, no student was fatally injured. However, a small place such as Franklin County definitely felt the distress caused by such a chaotic and horrible attack. This news shocked me personally, as I grew up nearby and knew it to be a quiet and peaceful community similar to my own hometown. For those families and students affected by this senseless violence, I send my deepest condolences.
The silver lining to this dark cloud is the heroism displayed by the students and faculty members during the stabbing. One student pulled a fire alarm alerting the rest of the school. Another student ran in between the attacker and his friend, getting stabbed himself instead. This noble and heroic display of bravery reminds me of a verse from the Holy Quran: “Whosoever saved a person … it shall be as if he saved all mankind” (5:33).
