Nearly all of the Ohio Army National Guardsmen involved in the Kent State shooting, on May 4, 1970, have remained silent since that bloody day—whether out of fear of legal consequences, guilt and shame over what happened, or trauma precipitated by the tragedy. The guardsmen’s half-century of silence created a vacuum that was filled with speculation. Why did they fire 67 shots in 12.53 seconds at unarmed college students protesting the Vietnam War, killing four and wounding nine others, with one paralyzed for life? Was an order to fire given, and, if so, by whom?
In 2012, at a news conference about the Kent State shooting, Dean Kahler, a protester confined to a wheelchair since that day, implored the guardsmen to help resolve the mystery. “It’s important to get the truth out before it’s too late,” he said.
