This Is Not Something We Ever Wanted To See

EDIT: they’ve walked back the story. They’re still in critical. This is staying up anyhow.

What a wretched story to run across. It’s something that we wouldn’t wish on someone. It happened in our country. In *our* country. This is, regrettably, common in other places, but this is America. This was America. And it’s further proof of how badly it’s gone downhill. From CNN: [Subscription required]

Two members of the West Virginia National Guardsmen who were shot in Washington, DC, are in critical condition, FBI Director Kash Patel and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference. The guardsmen were performing “high visibility patrols” when they were shot, according to police officials, who added that the suspected shooter was “subdued” and taken into custody. The suspect appeared to be targeting the guardsmen, according to three law enforcement sources. He is not cooperating with investigators and had no identification on him at the time of his arrest, a source said.

Actually, CNN is behind. They’re gone. That’s two fewer people who chose to take an oath to the Constitution. That’s two families sobbing. That’s shellshock, America. The shooter isn’t talking. We don’t know who this person is or why he shot them. Even if we eventually find out, it won’t make any difference, because they’ve died.

Now, this isn’t a lecture about guns. That’s really subjective and doesn’t belong here. What does belong is that we’ve lost people, members of the Guard, people in this country who felt strongly enough about the country that they chose to join. They believed in us. And now? Yea, now. Who had them for neighbors? Who has children who don’t have a father now?

Police said there are no other suspects except the one currently in custody. “So, no, at this time, there is no indication that there was any other suspect. The one suspect that was involved in this incident, they were shot during the interaction, and they were transported to the hospital for treatment,” Jeffery Carroll, executive assistant chief of the Metropolitan Police Department said during a news conference today.

We should be happy for small favors, right? No. Two people died, on top of everything that’s happened this year, and it’s heartbreaking. We’ve had other mass shootings. We have ICE. We have Trump. You know he doesn’t give a damn that two people died. He doesn’t care about anyone or anything except himself. He called the Guard in, remember? There’s no way to tell if this would have happened without them. But it’s too late now, and it has.

“Since this is an assault on a federal law enforcement officer, this will be treated at the federal level as an assault on a federal law enforcement officer,” Patel said. “The FBI will lead out on that mission with our interagency partners, to include the Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, ATF, DEA, and we’re thankful for the mayor’s assistance in this matter,” he said, referring to Mayor Muriel Bowser, who stood alongside Patel at the news conference this afternoon.

Patel repeated himself. Wonderful. Great way to represent us. There was also a whole bunch of thoughts and prayers flying around. That’s just bullshit. Those sound good, but don’t actually mean a damn thing. It pisses me off every time. How about some support for families? How about support for the people in their unit? How about help in tangible ways? How about covering hospital bills? How about something besides hot air? We’ve lost two people. Thoughts and prayers. Feh.

Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise, among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula

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