The yellow police tape has been removed.
Ten days after the fact, the signs that something violent and tragic took place at the blue house at 2112 East Republican Street are harder to see. The television crews that camped on the street have moved on. Crowds of reporters no longer gather. The vigil for the victims of the March 25 shooting, held by friends of the six people who died, no longer marks the scene. Flowers, both fresh and faded, remain as a quiet memorial. A large dumpster sits in a parking spot adjacent to the property, various items of debris contained therein.
In short, for the neighborhood at least, life is moving on. The shooting incident - in which Kyle Huff, a 28-year-old Montana transplant shot and killed six people age 14 to 32 before taking his own life - understandably dominated the city's attention for many days. But by Monday, April 2, for example, the story no longer made it to either daily newspaper's front page.
One glimpse of life returning to normal: A man walking by the house, talking on a cell phone, making reservations for a T-time at a local golf course.
Or a duplex for sale one block away from the house, listed at $799,999.
Kids from Meany Middle School were jogging by in the light rain. School buses lined up and were ready to go at both Meany and the Holy Names Academy; the scene of the shooting lies roughly in between.
A few days after the gunfire a church memorial service took place at the house. Many hundreds of people gathered. It was an occasion filled with grief, certainly, but one which saw dancing break out in a celebration of the victims' lives after representatives from many faiths spoke about the tragedy. Perhaps as many as 500 people came to the memorial.
Following the service a community meeting took place at the Miller Community Center. It was the largest community event I have ever attended, more than 300 strong.
Mayor Greg Nickels attended, as did City Councilmembers David Della, Richard McIver, Jean Godden, Tom Rasmussen, Nick Licata and Sally Clark. State Rep. Ed Murray was on hand, as were numerous councilors who made themselves available to speak one-on-one with anyone who wished to talk about the shooting.
"Life has overtaken our original plans, and we're hear tonight to talk about the tragedy this weekend," said Andrew Taylor, chair of the Miller Park Neighborhood Association. "We're here to talk about what happened and to try to prevent it from happening again."
Mayor Nickels spoke next.
"I received a call at 8 a.m. that day that a mayor never wants to hear. Then I saw this blue house, like any other in the neighborhood in the city. It was a very troubling day. And we have questions that may never be answered," he said.
He addressed a viewpoint that has gained some currency among those wishing to lay blame for the shooting on the music or rave community where the violence took place:
"We do know that this incident was not caused by music. This was caused by a disturbed individual. And we know this was caused by easy access to guns. Music is not a threat to us. But gun violence is a threat, and we have to stop it."
Nickels received, and deserved, the loud applause he received.
Assistant Police Chief Clark Kimerer brought the room up to speed with the investigation. As is well known by now, Kyle Huff's brother was interviewed at length and released, determined by police to have been unaware of his brother's intentions. He said the ongoing police investigation will be thorough, but warned that any easy explanation may not be found.
"We want to find the truth available to us," he said. "We owe it to the victims and to their memory. But I have to make a truthful statement about the question on everybody's mind, 'Why?' I can't tell you why. I have no idea why Huff did what he did. I must prepare you for that mystery, because in a year from now we may still be asking it."
Commenting on the large crowd, one which included a broad range of ages, economic status and hair colors, Kimerer spoke to the future and preventing such tragedies from ever occurring again.
"An answer is found in this room. The community is a crucial key to prevention. It is what binds us together," he said.
Many questions followed. People who lived near the house, people who attended the party and survived the shooting, people who needed to vent got a turn at the microphone.
Often rambling, occasionally hostile, the comments as a whole felt cathartic. The absurdity that a man was able to legally own the massive stockpile of weapons Huff used, had with him and were found in his apartment surfaced many times. These laws are the ones that need to be addressed, a point of view many expressed and one the city's legislative officials no doubt heard loud and clear.
Officer Steve Leonard was often singled out for great praise. Arriving at the scene at roughly the same time the 911 calls started coming in, Leonard, who was alone, confronted Huff as he was walking outside the house. Moments later, Huff took his own life. Leonard's quick arrival and grace under pressure no doubt prevented the shocking death toll from being much higher.
Taylor's words to close the event were particularly poignant. As the longtime chair of the neighborhood association Taylor fielded requests from numerous media outlets asking him how he felt about the tragedy.
"People ask me if I feel less safe," he said. "I actually feel more safe. I had always heard that [police] officers are willing to put their lives on the line for me. Now, after Officer Leonard's action, I know this is true."
Easily 20 minutes after the meeting, one man walked up to police Lt. John Hayes as Hayes and I were talking about Officer Leonard. What he said was an emotionally resonant coda to a difficult and inspiring evening.
"My daughter was at the house that night," he said. "That officer saved her life."
Around Here is a column by the editor of the Capitol Hill Times. Doug Schwartz can be reached at editor@capitolhilltimes.com or 461-1308.
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