Hello everyone, as you can tell from the name and the fact that the account was made like a minute ago, this is a throwaway.

I feel like I can contribute uniquely to the discussion here, because I’m an international student in Heidelberg who happened to be close enough to the shooting that I heard the actual shots. It was absolutely surreal, I always take a walk around the botanical gardens just after lunch. And now death was just there, right around the corner.

So basically, everyone around here is asking how and why this happened and the inside info from one of the Whatsapp groups I’m in is that it was about a girl. He messaged his father shortly before commiting the atrocity, talking about how some people needed punishment. But what’s more, he apparently left after firing his first salvo, even though he had ample opportunity to continue shooting.

I think it was more of an Elliot Rodger/incel situation with ambient nazi brain worms than a targeted nazi anti-foreigner terrorist attack like we had a couple years ago. You know what’s “fun”? Back in that terrorist attack, a man was killed whom I had mutual friends with. Absolute insanity. I don’t know why, but the horror of the whole thing happening in my immediate vicinity again is not hitting this time. Maybe I’m still numb from the shock, I don’t know.

But Heidelberg is a nice place, the vast majority of the students I study with have been so kind. They organized an impromptu candlelight vigil on Monday and thiusands of people showed on like 2hrs notice. Completely grassroots organized by Whatsapp groups.

So yeah, I’m rambling, but I think I’m trying to say that even in the face of rising fascist violence, my heart is warmed by the solidarity shown by the young people all around me. Humanity carries, at its core, purity and goodness and we will win before this is all over.