A Tragedy All Around
Yesterday evening just after 6pm, police cars started screaming down our road. One, followed by another. And another. And another.
We thought there must have been a terrible accident.
That would have been tragic enough. In the end, the police in the next town, Greenland (where our neighbor's daughter is a police officer and who luckily was off last night), were serving a warrant on a man just 3-4 miles from our house. It appears that while several officers tried to enter at the front of the house, others moved around the side to look in the window. By all accounts of witnesses in the area, a firestorm ensued. Five police officers were hit and fell to the ground. One police car sped away, presumably with one of the injured officers.
Tragically, Police Chief Michael Maloney,who was set to retire in a week, was killed trying to protect the community he served. To make things even sadder, I believe both the Chief and the shooter were fellow alums of WHS. The shooter went to school with my nieces and nephew and was apparently a pretty regular guy in school. One you certainly would never expect to be involved in something like this, let alone be responsible. He'd even been a volunteer firefighter in a neighboring town for a time. It is rumored that he may have been on and selling steroids for years. After a nightlong standoff, around 2am the police sent in a robot after hearing shots in the house, and found the suspect and a woman who was in the house with him, dead.
Whatever circumstances come to light, one thing won't change. Three people are dead. One in the line of duty. Four other people are injured, some still in ICU. Hoping and praying they will all be ok.
Both my brother-in-law and sister-in-law are police officers, as well as several of my college pals. Let's remember that they never know what they will face on a day to day basis when they are on duty. My hope for them all is to be safe.
Though I didn't know you personally Chief Maloney, may you rest in peace.
Freefrom Friday
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Live each day. That's my advice to you all today.
