City of Cleveland Mayor Jackson and Cleveland Metropolitan School District Superintendent Eugene Sanders held a “news conference” in the Mayor’s Chambers this afternoon.  The security magnetometer at the Mayor’s City Hall second floor office suite doorway sensed metal (my camera?) and buzzed when I went in, but it buzzed for everyone.  No one was minding it.  Anyway, I’m sure there was not any concealed carry in the City Hall because the yellow sign on the front door of the City Hall said “guns not allowed”.

The racially mixed audience of about 50 persons was comprised of about 50% news cameramen (there were 7 TV cams and crews) and anchors and 50% government and school  personnel and religious representatives.   The City of Cleveland’s Chief Photographer Donn Nottage clicked away for the City, as he has for 26 years.

When Mayor Jackson entered the conference room from the Mayor’s private side door, it was about 3:30, 15 minutes after the scheduled start of the conference.  And the hand outs weren’t ready yet…I thought I could hear the Xerox cranking away…

When the Mayor spoke he struck me as sincere.  The Mayor expressed sadness for the loss of the young man at the center of the school shooting.  I appreciated the Mayor’s recognition of the assailant as a victim because Asa Coon’s apparent suicide rests in all our laps. 

Then Dr. Sanders addressed the media.  He said he loved all his students.  There were the usual hat tips to the police, the school personnel for containing a bad situation.

The Mayor and Dr. Sanders sounded very sincere, and pretty tired.  I also think they sounded over their heads. 

What I would like to know from  Coroner Frank Miller is what the blood and tissue lead levels were for Mr. Coon and for his other family members. 

And what I would like to know from the Dirty Dealer and Mayor Jackson is when they are going to address one of the roots of the problem and take on the National Rifle Association