Well I guess I found something!
I have been looking for something to write about the last few days. I have missed 2 days now of my goal for lack of ideas. Last night an event happened that will more than make up for my missed opportunities.
Last evening around 9:45 pm while police was serving a search warrant on 3268 Jackson Ave. a gunfight ensued. The aftermath has left one police officer dead, and five others seriously wounded. While standing outside watching all the news, CSI, and Police vehicles, my neighbor who reads this blog asked if I was going to write about what happened. And I told her that I thought I would but I was struggling with what I would say. I usually start these posts with the end in mind, but I am just not exactly sure where this one will go. So I guess I will write this from the beginning.
I was helping a friend work on his house, when I received a text from my wife it read, “There is serious gunfire going on outside our house”. I didn’t even think I jumped in my car to come home. I immediately called Christy while I was on my way. She told me there were a lot of cops around, and she had gone to our basement. She suggested I not come home. “There is no way” I thought, “I do not want her home alone.” As I made my way home I found out quickly the police had blocked off every possible way home. I drove around a smaller street and parked around the corner from my house. I didn’t know at the time that I was very close to where the shootings had taken place.
I parked my car and began walking, on the corner near my home was a huddle of policemen, as I moved closer to them they didn’t see me, and were quite startled and annoyed when I walked out of the light asking if I could go home. They rightfully yelled at me to get out of there. Many still had their weapons out. It was only then that I thought that maybe I should have stayed away. I hurried to my front door and called my wife so she knew it was me coming in.
It would only be through the next few hours that we would learn about what happened. As we hunkered down in our basement we watched the news, called family to let us know that we were fine. I also found it humorous that I was able to become someone I normally laughed at. I was updating facebook while an emergency was going on. Like so many people I had read about and wondered why they would think to get on facebook or twitter while something big like a shooting, an earthquake, or whatever is going on around them. I found it helpful and fun to post comments on my wall while the local policemen continued to secure our neighborhood.
As the proverbial dust settled and the morning came, we found the activity surrounding our home was not nearly over. Today has been filled with news reporters and their various vehicles parked up and down our street, a distinct police presence that while is necessary is also unnerving, and with conversations between neighbors all of which saw different aspects of the events as they unfolded. I kept feeling that underneath all of this activity and excitement I was missing something important. There seemed something out of this tragedy that I could learn from.
When we went to bed we were not sure if any of the officers had passed away, and we were distraught we woke up to find out he had. I immediately thought about this man’s sacrifice. I could help but feel my heart swell with gratitude for his service. This man, Jared Francom, had given his life for his fellowman. More specifically he had sacrificed his life for the safety of my community, my neighborhood, and my family and friends. I had never met this man. He had never met me. When the bible talks about, “Greater Love has no man, than he giveth his life for a friend.” What about the man who gives his life for strangers. The street I live on is full of people I love. And I would like to believe that I would do whatever I could to protect them even to giving my life for them. But these are people I love. My heart searches for the right condolences for Officer Francoms family. He is no longer here so the people on my street can be safe.
There are debts that are accrued in this life that can never be repaid. My wife and I, and all of our neighbors, can never return the price paid last evening for our community. I for one will be eternally indebted to not only Officer Francom, but his family and all the other officers, some of whom were wounded, that were there to maintain our peace.
Last evening around 9:45 pm while police was serving a search warrant on 3268 Jackson Ave. a gunfight ensued. The aftermath has left one police officer dead, and five others seriously wounded. While standing outside watching all the news, CSI, and Police vehicles, my neighbor who reads this blog asked if I was going to write about what happened. And I told her that I thought I would but I was struggling with what I would say. I usually start these posts with the end in mind, but I am just not exactly sure where this one will go. So I guess I will write this from the beginning.
I was helping a friend work on his house, when I received a text from my wife it read, “There is serious gunfire going on outside our house”. I didn’t even think I jumped in my car to come home. I immediately called Christy while I was on my way. She told me there were a lot of cops around, and she had gone to our basement. She suggested I not come home. “There is no way” I thought, “I do not want her home alone.” As I made my way home I found out quickly the police had blocked off every possible way home. I drove around a smaller street and parked around the corner from my house. I didn’t know at the time that I was very close to where the shootings had taken place.
I parked my car and began walking, on the corner near my home was a huddle of policemen, as I moved closer to them they didn’t see me, and were quite startled and annoyed when I walked out of the light asking if I could go home. They rightfully yelled at me to get out of there. Many still had their weapons out. It was only then that I thought that maybe I should have stayed away. I hurried to my front door and called my wife so she knew it was me coming in.
It would only be through the next few hours that we would learn about what happened. As we hunkered down in our basement we watched the news, called family to let us know that we were fine. I also found it humorous that I was able to become someone I normally laughed at. I was updating facebook while an emergency was going on. Like so many people I had read about and wondered why they would think to get on facebook or twitter while something big like a shooting, an earthquake, or whatever is going on around them. I found it helpful and fun to post comments on my wall while the local policemen continued to secure our neighborhood.
As the proverbial dust settled and the morning came, we found the activity surrounding our home was not nearly over. Today has been filled with news reporters and their various vehicles parked up and down our street, a distinct police presence that while is necessary is also unnerving, and with conversations between neighbors all of which saw different aspects of the events as they unfolded. I kept feeling that underneath all of this activity and excitement I was missing something important. There seemed something out of this tragedy that I could learn from.
When we went to bed we were not sure if any of the officers had passed away, and we were distraught we woke up to find out he had. I immediately thought about this man’s sacrifice. I could help but feel my heart swell with gratitude for his service. This man, Jared Francom, had given his life for his fellowman. More specifically he had sacrificed his life for the safety of my community, my neighborhood, and my family and friends. I had never met this man. He had never met me. When the bible talks about, “Greater Love has no man, than he giveth his life for a friend.” What about the man who gives his life for strangers. The street I live on is full of people I love. And I would like to believe that I would do whatever I could to protect them even to giving my life for them. But these are people I love. My heart searches for the right condolences for Officer Francoms family. He is no longer here so the people on my street can be safe.
There are debts that are accrued in this life that can never be repaid. My wife and I, and all of our neighbors, can never return the price paid last evening for our community. I for one will be eternally indebted to not only Officer Francom, but his family and all the other officers, some of whom were wounded, that were there to maintain our peace.
Thats amazing, I am glad you and Christy are alright. Sad to hear about the shooting.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note if you need help thinkging of things to blog about I follow a blog that just gives ideas on what to blog about.