The tragedy of a triple shooting of Work and Income workers in Ashburton this week is still sinking in for many.
There is utter disbelief and immense sadness such a terrible event could happen to three people going about their daily jobs, dealing with others seeking their help.
Two people are dead and one remains seriously injured as the police start assembling the facts behind the shooting.
A few facts are known. The suspect, Russell John Tully, was a sick, homeless man who had returned to Ashburton to die.
Tully approached the Ashburton Guardian last month to air his frustrations over the lack of accommodation in his home town for people in his situation.
He is said to have moved back to Ashburton to die from an unidentified skin disease which causes boil-type lumps if untreated, which had tightened his joints and caused limited movement.
He was working in Australian mines before returning home.
Tully was living rough while on a waiting list for a Housing New Zealand property and he had been in contact with numerous agencies, MPs and others in his quest to find accommodation and help.
To their credit, politicians put aside the main part of their election campaigning to pay their respects to the dead and wounded victims, and their families.
There were some unfortunate responses on social media, blaming the Government for the situation in which Tully - and others - find themselves.
But they were soon shut down with a backlash from other social media users appalled the shooting was being used for political point-scoring.
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett arrived in the South as soon as practicably possible to provide her support to the staff who were already in shock, dealing with the unthinkable.
The police acted swiftly, knowing a gunman on the loose would strike fear into the heart of the Mid-Canterbury town, a town said to be close-knit and with Mayor Angus McKay sure he, and many others from Ashburton, would have links with the victims.
New Zealand rarely has to deal with these sorts of issues.
In the United States, shootings have become commonplace with only mass shootings making the news.
Often, schools are a target in the US as disgruntled pupils and students extract their warped revenge.
Sadly, although New Zealand has much stricter gun laws, there is always the opportunity for someone to obtain a weapon.
In this case, Tully used a sawn-off shotgun.
From where he obtained the weapon will be part of the intensive investigation.
Tully was apprehended after he was identified by a quick-thinking and observant farmer who carried on as normally as possible before alerting the police.
They swooped and Tully was in custody, appearing in court yesterday.
The Ministry of Social Development is likely to look hard at its security protocols at all sites.
Chief executive Brendan Boyle was in Ashburton to offer his support to his staff and counselling is available.
Other staff around New Zealand have been advised of relevant employee assistance.
Not unexpectedly, there were other threats made on Work and Income staff in North Island offices soon after the event.
Those making the threats were quickly apprehended.
Copycat crime, following the Ashburton shooting, will make all ministry staff uneasy when they have a right to feel safe.
Security guards are not an uncommon site at workplaces around the country.
Banks, in particular, are known to employ security guards outside their entrances to deal with any threats.
Some Work and Income offices have had security guards and the likelihood now is for those offices to have increased security.
Work and Income deal with such a wide range of people and issues, of course there are going to be people feeling upset and disenfranchised.
Most do not step down to the depths Tully found himself in this week. Sadly, he came home to die but took other lives instead.
We all have a right to feel safe and secure in our workplaces, and our homes.
This tragedy provides a deeper look into the soul of the nation. Right now, it is a black space.
