This past week, two unthinkable tragedies have devastated families and our local communities as a whole.

Last Tuesday, a woman was kidnapped from her job in Aurora by her child’s father. He was armed and dangerous, and a standoff with sheriff’s office deputies followed. The standoff ended with two deaths — 25-year-old Alisha Morgan was shot and killed before Craig Lamont, 31, turned the gun on himself. Investigators suspect an upcoming custody battle between the two may have been a motive.

Just three days later, Craven County deputies made a terrible discovery. A family of five, shot to death. Investigators in that case believe the father, Michael Jason Ireland, 39, was responsible for killing his wife and three children — April Ireland, 26, Michael Ireland, 4, Bryson Ireland and Caroline Ireland, 8 months, before turning the gun on himself.

While the two killings were unrelated, and happened under different circumstances, they share similarities. Both ended in the deaths of both the shooter and innocent victims. Both tragedies left behind heartbroken families, friends and communities to ponder the senseless nature of these deaths. Both were examples of domestic violence in its most deadly form.

We don’t know what was going through the minds of the two men who committed these extreme acts of domestic violence. We can’t understand the fear the victims must have felt. It’s simply incomprehensible.

These stories both highlight the need to protect those who might be vulnerable to domestic abuse. In the latter case, a GoFundMe page established by April Ireland last year reveals that Michael Ireland was struggling with depression and mental illness in the months leading up to the tragedy. This also speaks to the need for a renewed focus on mental health in our society.

The wounds left by these terrible events are still fresh, and will take a long time to heal. The scars will be deep, and the families will live with these losses for years to come.

But before everyone else moves on, these deaths should not be in vain. It is our hope that they will spark conversations about how we, as a society, can better protect our most vulnerable. These deaths should make us step back and ask some important questions; namely, how can we stop this from happening again?

In the newspaper business, part of our job is to cover some of the most terrible, tragic stories imaginable. These two are among them. But that doesn’t mean we don’t care. Just like everyone else, our hearts are breaking for these families. We can only wish peace and comfort for those left behind.