Saturday night, Sept. 8, the Odessa Police Department responded to a domestic dispute.
What started as a routine call turned into the deadliest in the history of the Odessa police department.
Everyday, in every city across the United States, a police officer will respond to what appears to be a routine assignment only to find their life or the lives of others at a peril.
Is gun control the answer? No, because then only the bad guys will have the guns.
Is counseling the answer? Who's to say? How can you get everyone to go see someone or to talk to someone about what is bothering them before they finally snap?
The man involved in the shooting deaths of these officers was relatively quite guy, drank a few beers, enjoyed hunting, Nascar, football, etc. But, on this fateful night, something inside this man just clicked. When the police arrived, his wife, who had called 911 was found and she told them he had hit her, and that the front door was locked, but they could go in through the back door. As the officers entered the yard, the man stepped out and began to open fire, killing two and injuring one, who is presently on life support in a Lubbock hospital. What happened??
Can anyone one of us even come close to understanding what was going on in this man's mind that would cause him to strike his wife and kill two men? I don' think so. The entire community of Odessa, Texas and the surrounding cities, including Midland, whose police, and sheriff's department responded to assist, is reeling with disbelief and pain.
The news media call these men "Fallen Heroes", and to that I give them credit. We must remember, not only those who have fallen, but those who everyday, put on the uniform of peace officer and go out to do their jobs.
In Midland, Texas, we have had three shooting where the suspect was killed, and the ACLU stepped in to cry foul, racial shootings with no provocation! HOGWASH! In all three incidents, the police responded as they have been trained to do. Where is the ACLU now??
The man who killed the officers was white, your average Joe so to speak. The officers, two dead, both white, and the one injured, Hispanic.
The majority of Americans today cry foul when a perpetrator is shot and killed in the commission of a crime, and they want justice, crying for the arrest of the officer, saying unnecessary force was used. I can only shake my head in disbelief of their ignorance!
As a Concealed Handgun Licensee, I know the effects of pulling my gun, and I also know, that at that moment in time, I am the only one who knows what I am thinking and feeling before I pull the trigger. I exercise a multitude of considerations in a split second prior to even pulling the gun from it's holster. I am not a police officer, but I can only guess the multitude of things that run through their minds at any given moment in time. I applaud them for the job they do, I could not do it, every day as they do.
Today, when you step out to go about your daily duties, should you happen upon a police officer, stop for a moment and take the time to tell them "thank you!". Just as our soldiers are fighting to keep our streets free from terrorist, your local police officer, sheriff deputy or DPS officer, is fighting to keep you and your safe from the elements that insist on preying on fellow humans.
they deserve our respect and our gratitude.
God be with the families of the fallen policemen of Odessa, Texas and other cities in America.
We thank you all for your service to our community.
