Shooting in My Neighborhood

There was a shooting in my neighborhood yesterday. I had just gotten home from our neighborhood pool, where I have been a member since I was 7 years old. I am now 47. I grew up across the street from my now neighborhood and last year my dream came true of actually being a resident in this community. I purchased a home on a quiet street surrounded by people that have the same love for community that I do. It has been an amazing year. It has been an amazing 40 years of living in this area and growing up with what I’ve always called extended family… Because that is what this area has always felt like. 

I started 1st grade when we moved to this area and I went to school with those same kids all the way through graduation. I am still friends with a lot of them today… because we still live here, we still love this community, this has always been home.

Yesterday as I sat on my sofa resting from a wonderful day at the pool and looking out my big beautiful bay window at the birds, the trees, the quiet street… My phone rang - It was my son. He said mom “get inside now if you aren’t”. Before I could ask why he informed me he had just passed multiple police cars all headed the same way and the County active alert showed they were headed to my neighborhood. What? Minutes later they came one by one, zooming past my home, sirens blaring, lights flashing… I just sat in disbelief that this was happening here.

For an hour I watched police cars, SUVs, a K9 unit, a Riot truck, multiple ambulances and fire trucks whiz down my street to the back of the neighborhood which is only .5 miles from my house, to what was later proclaimed as a domestic incident. 

An Emergency “stay in place” Alert came through my phone. I just sat here in disbelief. Our Community Social Media page did a great job of updating the residences of a minute by minute play as to what was going on. The police on scene were super stars and did exactly what they were trained to do. There were injuries, a death and lives shaken. But in the midst of chaos I saw what I’ve always seen, this community, come together, pray, lift each other up and shine the light they have always shown.

Later that evening I sat down to dinner with my husband and my bonus babies (we do not live together) another blog for another day - I shared the afternoons events with them. I claimed how sad I felt for the suspect. One of my bonus babies said that isn’t sad - For a moment I was irritated and then I thought - that is the mindset of this generation - So I unpacked my statement. I said it is sad - It is sad that this person felt they had no other choice but to use a gun on someone they love. It is sad that their mental health has been untreated and this was the resort they went to instead of words or to seek guidance from someone that could help them. It is sad that a life was lost, that people were shot, that a peaceful quiet community had to go into lockdown instead of outdoor barbecues, mowing their lawns and evening walks like many of us do. It is sad.

It is also sad that as the news quickly spread and multiple social media posts popped up, the comments from others turned this incident into a political issue. It has become about guns and gun laws. It has become about others' agendas instead of what it is… a domestic fight gone wrong. Gone wrong not because he had a gun but because his mental health went unchecked. A mentally stable person will not use a gun on someone. A mentally stable person will seek help when faced with a situation that causes them to have feelings that aren’t normal to them. And I’m not talking about self defense gun use… I’m talking - I’m mad you took my toy… bang bang.

You want to bring politics into it? Keep telling your little boys and little girls they were born in the wrong body. Keep telling them they are dogs and cats and to use litter boxes and then sue the schools because they don’t comply. Yes, let’s keep telling our teenage daughters to lop off their breasts and our boys to inject hormones to grow them. Let’s keep letting everyone think they are right about everything because we are so afraid we are going to offend someone. Mentally stable people know how to handle offense. Let’s keep brainwashing our children with tablet use and cell phone distractions so we don’t actually have to raise them and let’s keep giving them everything they want so they don’t throw a tantrum so when they grow up and don’t get their way they use guns instead of words to settle debates and disagreements.

I could go down a rabbit hole but I won’t. My opinion is this world needs more of Jesus and less people enabling mental instability. So, I’ll do what I always do. I’ll keep praying, I’ll keep loving and I’ll keep looking to the sky. Lord come quickly - It’s a mess down here. 

I am thankful my family is safe. I am thankful for a community that rallied together. I am thankful that I have enough sense to pray and teach my children how to use their words. 

We say, what is this world coming to? Well - let me ask you - What do you value? What does your life revolve around? What examples are you setting for your children? How do they see you handle conflict? How do they see you respond when things go wrong and you don’t get your way?

Just something to think about before you go blaming everyone else or guns. 

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.