A routine traffic stop by Officers Benjamin Deen and Liquori Tatestop led to their shooting deaths Saturday night — the first Hattiesburg, Mississippi, police officers to die in the line of duty in more than 30 years. Four people were arrested, including two who were charged with capital murder.
On Sunday morning, bloodstains still marked the street where the two were shot, and a steady stream of people visited the site to leave flowers or balloons. In the nearby New Hope Baptist Church, worshipers prayed for the fallen officers and their families.
“This should remind us to thank all law enforcement for their unwavering service to protect and serve,” Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said in a statement. “May God keep them all in the hollow of his hand.”
For the most part, those who enter law enforcement as a career, I believe, do the best they can under very difficult circumstances. They all want to go home at the end of their shift. Some have families waiting for them.
They have to anticipate what their next street encounter will involve while not overstepping their guidelines and fears. They do this many times on split-second decisions. They step into the largely unknown each time they encounter a lawbreaker or potential lawbreaker, not knowing what reaction or level of violence they will experience.
Sunday morning was Mother’s Day, but the city of Hattiesburg as you will view in the video below was still noticeably shocked by Saturday night’s incident.
How long will the honest and honorable applicants continue to come forward under the shadows of current attitudes toward them? These attitudes are supported and encouraged by the current Administration, Obama, and his Justice Department. The shackles should be removed and freedom for the police departments to do their jobs should be enhanced. They should be able to fight fire with fire. In events like those of Baltimore, lethal force should be unleashed.
It’s breaks my heart how little criminals like this value God-given life. May the families feel the loving arms of our heavenly Father surrounding them. My heartfelt prayer and sympathy is with these families.
Share your thoughts and comments below. We want to know how you feel about this latest attack on our nation’s finest.
H/T: Clarion-Ledger, CBSNews
