This, my first post in weeks, which I planned several days ago to cover a different subject, has been roughly and brutally shoved aside, and my heart is very sad with the post I am forced to write this evening. I did not know Officer Heidelberg, other than to wave at him as he passed in and out of the hospital where I work. But he was a respected officer of the Midland Police Department, and had the honor and responsibility of serving as a Field Training Officer, an assignment not lightly passed out by police management.
When a police officer loses his life in the line of duty, it is always tragic. Many times officers are murdered by criminals, many times officers are struck by vehicles, and many others are killed in various ways each year...but I have to say, Officer Heidelberg's death has to be one of the most senseless waste of an officer's life I have ever heard of, and this makes this tragedy so much the harder to bear for his family and his fellow officers. And this is one of the most senseless actions of an armed citizen that I have ever heard of in my life, again, making this officer's death all the more difficult to understand.
Officer Heidelberg, the "rookie" officer he was training, and two other experienced officers, responded to a residential burglar alarm. This alarm was the type this is monitored by an alarm company, which then summons police to the location in question. One other thing the alarm company does (or is supposed to do) is find out if the owner is home, and if so, inform the owner that police are on the way. I have no idea if the particular alarm company followed this procedure. The Texas Rangers are investigating all of these things.
Whatever the case, the four officers approached the residence, at which time the owner stepped out the front door. The police officers (as verified by multiple body cameras) loudly announced repeatedly that they were police officers and that they were there to check the home and property. Not only that, but there were at least three patrol cars parked outside the house when the owner stepped outside. Inexplicably, the owner opened fire, striking Officer Heidelberg in the chest just above his ballistic vest. In what must be one of the greatest acts of restraint of force ever by police, the other officers gave the shooter a chance to lay down his weapon. Certainly they would have been justified in returning fire upon seeing Officer Heidelberg struck down. But, in fact, the homeowner was not injured.
This man later (after hiring an attorney) said that he thought the officers were "invading" his home. Never mind that this man ran OUTSIDE his home and began wildly firing at persons who identified themselves as police officers, were in uniform, and had left marked police cars parked on the street. To invade a home, the actors would need to at least be AT THE DOOR OR WINDOW OF THE HOME AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE ENTRY. He would not have been justified firing at real burglars, much less the police, in these circumstances. The man was rightly arrested and charged with killing the officer, although not capital murder.
May the Good Shepherd enfold Officer Heidelberg's family, friends, and fellow officers tonight, and comfort these people as only the Good Shepherd can. May the Good Shepherd protect the officers that are left to carry on without Nathan Heidelberg with them tonight. I am honored, yet saddened, to lift up Officer Heidelberg here, to thank him for his service and his ultimate sacrifice.
I also hope the shooter, in light of this most senseless action that he has taken, will voluntarily give up the ownership of his guns. He is clearly not responsible enough, nor capable of clear judgment, to ever be trusted with deadly weapons again. He could have easily shot his own family member or a neighbor who might have been coming to the residence to check on his safety. His actions are inexplicable. Was he so afraid that he decided to shoot anything that moved near his house? Worse, was he so arrogant and careless that he would shoot anyone found outside his residence, no questions asked, just because his burglar alarm had been triggered? We all know that many things, including inclement, extremely cold weather, can activate burglar alarms. Yes, a person has the right to protect himself and his family, but with that right comes the responsibility to clearly identify any potential target as either a criminal or someone else. The death of Officer Nathan Heidelberg was so senseless and needless, and so very avoidable, had the homeowner acted reasonably.
And the Thin Blue Line in heaven boasts one more officer tonight.
When a police officer loses his life in the line of duty, it is always tragic. Many times officers are murdered by criminals, many times officers are struck by vehicles, and many others are killed in various ways each year...but I have to say, Officer Heidelberg's death has to be one of the most senseless waste of an officer's life I have ever heard of, and this makes this tragedy so much the harder to bear for his family and his fellow officers. And this is one of the most senseless actions of an armed citizen that I have ever heard of in my life, again, making this officer's death all the more difficult to understand.
Officer Heidelberg, the "rookie" officer he was training, and two other experienced officers, responded to a residential burglar alarm. This alarm was the type this is monitored by an alarm company, which then summons police to the location in question. One other thing the alarm company does (or is supposed to do) is find out if the owner is home, and if so, inform the owner that police are on the way. I have no idea if the particular alarm company followed this procedure. The Texas Rangers are investigating all of these things.
Whatever the case, the four officers approached the residence, at which time the owner stepped out the front door. The police officers (as verified by multiple body cameras) loudly announced repeatedly that they were police officers and that they were there to check the home and property. Not only that, but there were at least three patrol cars parked outside the house when the owner stepped outside. Inexplicably, the owner opened fire, striking Officer Heidelberg in the chest just above his ballistic vest. In what must be one of the greatest acts of restraint of force ever by police, the other officers gave the shooter a chance to lay down his weapon. Certainly they would have been justified in returning fire upon seeing Officer Heidelberg struck down. But, in fact, the homeowner was not injured.
This man later (after hiring an attorney) said that he thought the officers were "invading" his home. Never mind that this man ran OUTSIDE his home and began wildly firing at persons who identified themselves as police officers, were in uniform, and had left marked police cars parked on the street. To invade a home, the actors would need to at least be AT THE DOOR OR WINDOW OF THE HOME AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE ENTRY. He would not have been justified firing at real burglars, much less the police, in these circumstances. The man was rightly arrested and charged with killing the officer, although not capital murder.
May the Good Shepherd enfold Officer Heidelberg's family, friends, and fellow officers tonight, and comfort these people as only the Good Shepherd can. May the Good Shepherd protect the officers that are left to carry on without Nathan Heidelberg with them tonight. I am honored, yet saddened, to lift up Officer Heidelberg here, to thank him for his service and his ultimate sacrifice.
I also hope the shooter, in light of this most senseless action that he has taken, will voluntarily give up the ownership of his guns. He is clearly not responsible enough, nor capable of clear judgment, to ever be trusted with deadly weapons again. He could have easily shot his own family member or a neighbor who might have been coming to the residence to check on his safety. His actions are inexplicable. Was he so afraid that he decided to shoot anything that moved near his house? Worse, was he so arrogant and careless that he would shoot anyone found outside his residence, no questions asked, just because his burglar alarm had been triggered? We all know that many things, including inclement, extremely cold weather, can activate burglar alarms. Yes, a person has the right to protect himself and his family, but with that right comes the responsibility to clearly identify any potential target as either a criminal or someone else. The death of Officer Nathan Heidelberg was so senseless and needless, and so very avoidable, had the homeowner acted reasonably.
And the Thin Blue Line in heaven boasts one more officer tonight.
Heartbreaking. Ever since my brother became a police officer, I cringe a little more when I read stories like this one. I cry and say an extra prayer for my brother to stay safe.
ReplyDeleteMay the Good Shepherd keep your brother safe as well. Thank you for your comment.
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