My best wishes go to Officer Raymond Blohm of the Upper Darby Police Department and his family. According to the news reports and the press release from UDPD, Ray Blohm was shot by a coward after Officer Blohm stopped him for smoking pot and drinking in public. Rather than face the consequences, this guy chooses to pull out a gun and shoot the police officer 4 times. The heroics of the officer can't be over-emphasized. After being shot multiple times and after his police radio was destroyed by an errant bullet, he shot the bad guy back, chased him down, and called for assistance via his own cell phone. My thanks and admiration go to Raymond Blohm.
My utter disgust goes out to the as of now nameless waste of space and air that chose to assault the officer. Unfortunately, instances like these are a reminder to me, my family, and the law enforcement family at large of this simple fact: There are evil people in this world. These people play by different rules, and they put good people in danger. The pessimist in me wonders how many thousands of dollars the government will waste paying for medical treatment, rehabilitation, etc. for this ne'er-do-well, who will undoubtedly spend months in treatment at a first rate hospital followed by years at a prison that is far too comfortable, and far less punitive.
Oh, and before we have to hear the stories of how bad this person's childhood was, and what emotional syndrome, disease, condition or whatever that he suffers from, I ask this of my readers: Does any of it matter? If the facts reported in the paper are accurate, there is nothing that you can say to me that will minimize the shooter's culpability or responsibility. He shot a police officer who was confronting him about smoking weed and drinking in public. End of story.
The citizens of Upper Darby should be proud of Officer Raymond Blohm. I know I am.
Ugh. Brutal. Painful post.
ReplyDeleteits these kinds of stories that anger me the most because if you blinked, you'd missed the story on the evening news. but if the police officer had not been injured, everyone would be screaming police brutality and the sh*thead's face would be all over cnn with the word "victim" under his headshot. its a sick and twisted double standard. cops put their lives on the line everyday when they go into work and it takes courage and strength to want to do that in a society that doesn't always appreciate it.
ReplyDeletei'll step off my soapbox to wrap my arms around you and thank you, john q, for protecting me (and the sh*theads) unconditionally.