Guess I'm Just Dumb
That's right, I may not be the sharpest nail in the can. Or whatever container you use to keep them around.
The usual headline, after the George Floyd murder last year, would be "Police Murder Another Black Man".
Thing is, see, this particular young man was in his own apartment. Which isn't a crime.
Where the wheels go off-road on this story, however, is where we add in the fact that this young man was apparently struggling with personal issues, and had a gun. That's right. So the family has hired a noted civil rights lawyer who is looking to blame the Minneapolis police for another murder. While the young man's next-door neighbor was simply trying to make dinner for her children when bullets came crashing through the walls into her apartment. She thought she had been grazed by one.
Now, I do not know how I would likely respond if bullets started crashing through my home. I think I'd probably try to put as many walls between me and the shooter as possible, and make them as thick and robust as possible. So I'd likely be looking to hide in my basement, away from the windows, while I called 911.
While I do not know the whole story here, I'd like to suggest that the people who knew this young man, who knew him well, and who knew his life and his struggles should probably have spent a little more time with the fellow, and spent some serious time in conversation with him regarding his possession of a firearm. Look, I do understand certain tasks and certain ... well, places and times may require a firearm. I would first up submit that there should also be training required before anyone just picks up a gun and starts banging away.
I do recall a summer day when I was a Scout leader, following a group of boys around a city park as we participated in the Day Camp program. Due to the desire to offer the usual opportunity for some controlled ... well, shooting sports, the local city's ordinances did not permit the Scouts to bring in firearms. However, as we all know, there are a wide number of devices which can be used to propel projectiles at dangerous velocities. And the local planners had found a batch of slingshots, and had chosen to supply each Scout with a slingshot and a small bowl of dog kibble. And some down-range targets.
Now, it was my own foolishness at this time to not realize that a number of the knucklehead in my group (my own son being one of them), there were ample chances for things to go far more than sideways - which is exactly what happened in this case.
The young fellow was serious and very concerned as he proceeded to announce the rules of the range. When we have items such as slingshots, archery bows, or any sort of firearm, we treat the situation with extreme care, sometimes if only to impress upon the Scouts the fact that if stupidity occurs, dangerous harm may occur. Sure, it might leave a small welt which will eventually disappear, not likely to leave a permanent scar anywhere other than the recipient's brain, it will definitely scar the other participants who witnessed it, failed to plan to prevent it, and the parents, who would undoubtedly wonder just what sort of insane lunatics were placed in charge of caring for their children.
So in very serious terms, the Scouts were told what the commands would be, where to point there weapons AT ALL TIMES, loaded or otherwise, and who to listen to. They were also instructed that if anyone were to use the command "CEASE FIRE" then all movement must stop as they very carefully release the tension on their slingshots without sending their ammunition down-range. This was only to be used in the event that a dangerous situation was possible. So they all heard and understood the rules.
Now, being one of the adults at this station, I took a spot near the firing line, where the Scout were laid on the ground, belly down, aiming for their targets. I always thought it was unusual as a Scout that we were always firing from a prone position on the firing line, but then it occurred to me. If you're flat on the ground, lifting up the gun, and it slips or falls from your hands, it has perhaps a whole nine or ten inches to fall at the most, more likely to be somewhere under six inches. And the chance for the weapon to take a freak spin and send a bullet off in a direction that was not known to be safe was much slimmer than from a kneeling, sitting, or standing height.
So the Scouts were on their stomachs, were told to pick up their slingshots, pick a piece of ammunition out of their bowls, and place it in the pouch of the slingshot. They were then told to "charge your weapon" which they understood to mean pull back the kibble in the pouch.
Then, the statement the young Range Commander used was standard, understandable, and completely wrong for my group.
The Range Commander stated "Fire at Will".
Which was unfortunate for the young man at the end of the line whose name was William.
Somehow I managed to get out a rather loud "CEASE FIRE CEASE FIRE CEASE FIRE" which was heard throughout the entire camp/City park. I then instructed the Scouts to turn back to facing the targets on the range, ahead of them, and then asked the Range Commander if he would, in this instance, use the phrase to begin or commence firing without using any words that might be misinterpreted.
Was this a case of misinterpretation? Hell no. Those knuckleheads knew damned well they were not going to fire any dog food at their friend. They also knew that it was going to be one of those funny moments we would all remember.
And it scarred more than a few of us. Since that day, when at a Scout range, I do take a moment to speak with the range safety officer and Range Commander before we take the firing line, and insure that they are aware that the phrase "Fire at Will" is not a good one to use to start firing.
But we were discussing - or rather, I was pontificating - about a much more serious subject here. And that is if you happen to have loved ones who have firearms in their possession, their home, or often in reach, spend time talking with them regularly. Know their mental health, know they're doing OK, and know they're not a danger to themselves or others. While I mourn a 20 year old man who died, I will not blame the police until we have the whole story.
What I will say is that this young man may well be alive today had one of his friends or relatives had taken the firearm away from him before this incident began. Hindsight is always perfect, so this isn't of much help, but at the same time, when his family and others were interviewed, they said he was "having struggles". See, this is where you sit down with him and explain "I want you to be here for a very long time, and I want to make sure you're OK, so please, help me to help you be here. Give me the guns."
Sure, it sounds like a cheap shot from the cheap seats, but look - I'd much rather have an argument with someone I love, and have them around to argue with for years, rather than not say anything, and mourn their death. I was never in this man's shoes, but I do know that guns tend to make many situations and reactions far more permanent than some folks seem to understand. Until we get that through some of our heads, we're going to keep seeing this sort of thing happen. And for every mass shooter who is stopped by a good guy with a firearm, there are about three hundred other incidents where the good guys can't, don't, or won't stop until it's too damned late for some folks.
Until we get rid of the archaic idea that each and every one of us needs enough firepower to kill a village, we're not going to be safe living in villages, towns, cities, or anywhere in range. That's just my opinion, but it is what it is.
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