Charlie could have been taken out anywhere, anytime, walking to his car, exiting a store, etc. The bad people (left-wing extremists) did it in public as an act of terrorism.

It is to demoralize the good people on the right. It is to instill a deep, gnawing sense of fear that if you dare step into Charlie's shoes and speak up for what is right, YOU CAN BE NEXT. It communicates clearly and unmistakably that if you speak freely, the fascist extremists of the left will shut you up.

IMHO God isn't involved in this stuff. We're probably never going to figure out definitively why such horrific shit has to happen. It just does.

Charlie could have been taken out anywhere, anytime, walking to his car, exiting a store, etc. The bad people did it in public as an act of terrorism.

It communicates clearly and unmistakably that if you speak freely, the bad people will shut you up with a bullet.

IMHO God isn't involved in this stuff. If he knows about it and directs it or lets it happen anway, then how is he all-loving; and if he doesn't know about it, how is he omniscient. We're probably never going to figure out definitively why such horrific shit has to happen. It just does.