With their colleagues in blue still on the scene of an unthinkable mass shooting just a little over two hours to our south Wednesday morning — the victims mostly innocent children hit by bullets fired through stained-glass windows while they attended a Mass to mark the start of a new school year — the Duluth Police Department offered condolences and words of comfort.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out,” started the statement posted to social media.

Immediately, the department was lambasted, including that “thoughts and prayers do nothing to protect our children,” as one commenter wrote.

No, technically they don’t, but in moments of inconsolable sorrow, anguish, and grief, simple expressions of empathy and support are about all we have. There are no words adequate, but whatever we can come

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