ER Ltr Was there quick justice in shooting of Eureka resident? 4/26/2006
Dear Editor,
Quick justice?
April 14, 2006, 9:52 a.m.
Eureka Police Department called.
Welfare check, woman at 500 block of G Street.
Negotiations.
SWAT Team entry.
Suspect shot.
Pay mind to the woman inside,
Her son, five years gone, this the anniversary
Flooding memories of suicide, loss
While friends and neighbors say “mental illness,”
Weights, sinking her heart and soul
Not as heavy as the rounds lodged in the adjacent apartment wall,
Only reminder of the SWAT’s bust.
Even they don’t know the details — shots fired or the weapon she possessed
Despite scanners, radio calls, snipers across the way
All signs pointing the same,
A bright orange flare gun
Signal fire for the lost.
PD practice for disturbing the peace?
Two-hour talks,
Negotiation’s extent before playing God,
Gambling all they got, because they got nothing
Except a Reporter-sided column,
“Flare Gun Equals Hand Gun.”
Compassion too long a word
When quick equals just
Solving problems with problems
Because, “Damn it, we got too much to do.”
So trade patience for lives
Leaving us, still alive, to say what needs to be said.
Cheri Moore.
Why did she die?
Jeff Gilbreath
Eureka
Copyright (C) 2005, The Eureka Reporter. All rights reserved.
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