Over the weekend two Hattiesburg area law enforcement officers were killed during a traffic stop.
Exact details about how the shooting started have not been released, but one is charged with murder, two are charged with accessory to murder while the last is charged with obstruction of justice. Only one gun is believed to have been used.
While these scant details leave a lot of questions unanswered, at this time two public servants lost their lives in the line of duty, the families are mourning and four suspects await their day in court.
Officer fatalities are not a common occurrence, but they are one of the dangers law enforcement personnel face every time they put on their badge and uniform.
Another sickening part of this tragic incident involves the alleged social media post by a fast food employee, wearing a work uniform, celebrating the deaths of those officers.
I won’t delve into the exact wording used in the post because I refuse to further the spread of ignorance. We Americans enjoy freedom of speech, and as a member of the media I will never condone denial of that freedom. However, just because you can say something doesn’t mean you should; especially if that comment is disrespectful of the deceased.
It takes a certain personality to dedicate your life to public service, but that service is essential to society.
These officer fatalities and subsequent social media post show a side of America that has to change.
It’s my hope that the person who made those inappropriate comments will see their error. Not because they will have to look for new employment and not because of the backlash received from those who support emergency responders. But because life is short, and one day they may mourn the loss of someone they care about.