This is the national narrative of the event now. Presumably, this is because the perpetrators allegedly voiced some kind of allegiance for ISIS or something. The phrasing is meant to invoke all the fear, uncertainty, and doubt of 9&#x2F;11. It&#x27;s also intended to capitalize on the scaremongering that flows so easily into a national consciousness reeling at the shock of an event like this. We can&#x27;t call mass shootings terrorist attacks when they&#x27;re perpetrated by disturbed, home-grown killers who haven&#x27;t made some kind of political statement in connection with their actions. This is arguably why the VA Tech shooting is not terrorism, but this one—and others, like the Planned Parenthood shooting, the Oklahoma City bombing—qualify as terrorism ... and then get repeatedly thrust into the national conversation with those labels so people don&#x27;t think of them merely as <i>crimes</i>.