As we mourn for Jacksonville, here's what we've learned about mass shootings

We knew we would fail. We have asked those who lead us, and those who want to lead us, to answer a question. It is a question for which we know no answer exists.

How do we make Annapolis the last mass shooting in America?

With the death of two people and the shooter at an esports event Sunday in Jacksonville, Florida, we have failed. We knew we would because there is no answer.

Instead, it is the asking that is important. It is a question all of us should be asking.

So we will ask again, now in a slightly different way: How do we prevent the next mass shooting?

Today, from the perspective of a group of people who have been through this, we also offer what we have learned. Some of these things might not help avert another death. But they seem important to us.

Pain is cumulative. We were deeply hurt after five of our friends were shot to death in a rampage in our newsroom June 28. That should be no secret.

We were warned that the scars on our hearts would tear open when another community suffered the same kind of violence that marred ours. Jacksonville, please know, Annapolis grieves with you.

To our colleagues in the news media, we implore you to think about the impact of your reporting. It's easy to forget that every new story brings pain to those who have been through it — a population we now sadly find ourselves among.

And it's easy to forget that gun violence and trauma take a toll on those whose job it is to report it — as we have done and will continue to do.

We believe the news is in the victims, not the perpetrators of this madness. Yes, it is important to understand how this happened. It is right to report on the causes. But there is a balance, and it is easy to become too fascinated with death and killers for anyone's good.

The idea that gun violence is a public health issue is one worth pursuing. We're not sure how that will work out, but it has the potential to change things.

To that end, we urge Congress to repeal the Dickey Amendment. It was a rider on the 1996 federal omnibus bill that has prohibited the Center for Disease Control and Prevention from studying the effects of gun violence. This year, a small concession was won when language was changed, but the hurdle remains.

There are too many guns in America, and often the wrong people have no trouble getting one. It's just that simple.

Finally, we urge you to ask the question with us. Ask your community, ask yourselves. Ask those who lead you and those who seek to lead you. Demand answers.

How can we prevent another mass shooting?