Tonight my heart and my prayers go out to two families as they struggle to comprehend and come to terms with the terrible events of last evening; events that shocked a city and struck another blow to the local men and women of law enforcement. Last evening, shortly after 6:00 PM, we first received news of shooting, and we at the local hospital began bracing for the possible reaction. It came swiftly, and very soon we knew there was much greater law enforcement response than would normally be seen for a shooting. Shortly after the arrival of the first victim we learned that a police officer was involved in the incident.
By morning the news was out; a police officer had gone to his residence and shot his wife. He then dialed 9-1-1 and left the telephone line open. Other police officers were dispatched to the officer's residence, where they were met with a horrifying sight. The officers found their colleague's wife lying wounded. She was rushed to the hospital but died shortly after arriving there. The officer himself was found dead in the residence with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gun shot. Midland police officers were shocked and numbed, as well as saddened so greatly, by what they found. In a great show of support, the Midland County Sheriff's Office and criminal investigators and technicians from the Odessa Police Department arrived and took over the sad duty of investigating those terrible events and documenting evidence found at the scene. The Texas Rangers also became involved in the investigation.
Enough of the facts!
The family and friends of these two young people, as well as the officer's colleagues, must now try to carry on with their lives, and their jobs, while they try to make sense of what has happened. The only positive aspect of this situation that has come to light so far as that the officer spared the lives of his two small children. These little children are now in the loving care of their extended family. But two families are left devastated, and an entire city is reeling, wondering why this tragedy occurred.
No one really knows what brings a person to such a point in his life that he believes he has no other recourse than to take the life of the mother of his children, or to take his own life, for that matter. There are so many questions, though, that may or may not be answered. Did this young couple have ongoing domestic violence issues? Was a divorce pending? Maybe there was some other issue, but whatever the problem might have been, it is almost beyond belief that the officer, or should I just say, the husband, evidently felt that he had no alternative other than killing his wife. It is difficult to believe that one or both of these young people had not sought help, or that if they had, there was not something that could have been said or done that might have turned this man away from the idea that there was no way out but the final one.
Even as the events here in Midland were unfolding, the entire nation was shocked by the news about a man who killed his spouse and five other family members, and was still on the run at the same time the officer and his wife died. And we were once again left to wonder what happened? Why? Couldn't someone have intervened, couldn't something have been done, to prevent this tragedy, and so many like it that happen every year? I wish I had answers, and I am sure these families do as well, much more strongly than do I.
I certainly have no answers tonight. I have no platitudes to tell the survivors, nor would I want to hear any if I were in their position. Was it "just one of those things?" Was it because we "just never know what someone we love is really capable of?" And the most over-used one, "it was just God's will." Yes, I have no answers, and I offer no trite clichés. I only want to express in some small way to those hurting tonight that others care about them, and that I hope they feel the comfort that only the Good Shepherd can offer, and does, even when we don't know why these terrible things happen. May these families feel the Good Shepherd's hands, and may the officers who have lost their colleague feel this Comfort as well.
By morning the news was out; a police officer had gone to his residence and shot his wife. He then dialed 9-1-1 and left the telephone line open. Other police officers were dispatched to the officer's residence, where they were met with a horrifying sight. The officers found their colleague's wife lying wounded. She was rushed to the hospital but died shortly after arriving there. The officer himself was found dead in the residence with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gun shot. Midland police officers were shocked and numbed, as well as saddened so greatly, by what they found. In a great show of support, the Midland County Sheriff's Office and criminal investigators and technicians from the Odessa Police Department arrived and took over the sad duty of investigating those terrible events and documenting evidence found at the scene. The Texas Rangers also became involved in the investigation.
Enough of the facts!
The family and friends of these two young people, as well as the officer's colleagues, must now try to carry on with their lives, and their jobs, while they try to make sense of what has happened. The only positive aspect of this situation that has come to light so far as that the officer spared the lives of his two small children. These little children are now in the loving care of their extended family. But two families are left devastated, and an entire city is reeling, wondering why this tragedy occurred.
No one really knows what brings a person to such a point in his life that he believes he has no other recourse than to take the life of the mother of his children, or to take his own life, for that matter. There are so many questions, though, that may or may not be answered. Did this young couple have ongoing domestic violence issues? Was a divorce pending? Maybe there was some other issue, but whatever the problem might have been, it is almost beyond belief that the officer, or should I just say, the husband, evidently felt that he had no alternative other than killing his wife. It is difficult to believe that one or both of these young people had not sought help, or that if they had, there was not something that could have been said or done that might have turned this man away from the idea that there was no way out but the final one.
Even as the events here in Midland were unfolding, the entire nation was shocked by the news about a man who killed his spouse and five other family members, and was still on the run at the same time the officer and his wife died. And we were once again left to wonder what happened? Why? Couldn't someone have intervened, couldn't something have been done, to prevent this tragedy, and so many like it that happen every year? I wish I had answers, and I am sure these families do as well, much more strongly than do I.
I certainly have no answers tonight. I have no platitudes to tell the survivors, nor would I want to hear any if I were in their position. Was it "just one of those things?" Was it because we "just never know what someone we love is really capable of?" And the most over-used one, "it was just God's will." Yes, I have no answers, and I offer no trite clichés. I only want to express in some small way to those hurting tonight that others care about them, and that I hope they feel the comfort that only the Good Shepherd can offer, and does, even when we don't know why these terrible things happen. May these families feel the Good Shepherd's hands, and may the officers who have lost their colleague feel this Comfort as well.
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