Violent youths in the Pacific Northwest?

Not a good statement for the youth of the Pacific Northwest, when in a span of less than a week, we've had:

• A pair of 7 and 11 year old children use a loaded gun to attempt to rob a young woman and threaten to blow her brains out;
• A 22 year old man goes on a shooting spree at a shopping mall;
• A school in Springfield Oregon goes into lockdown as a teen brings an air rifle to school;
• A school in Vancouver Washington goes into lockdown as a rifle is found lying around.

Sheesh...are we in Afghanistan or the Pacific Northwest?