Guns are a real problem in this country. Not just for citizens, but also in the hands of trigger-happy police officers.
I woke this morning to news that a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota opened fire on, and murdered, the driver of a car he had pulled over for a broken tail light. In the passenger seat, his fiancée, Diamond Reynolds. In the back seat, Diamond’s four-year-old daughter.
The car was pulled over for a broken taillight. A simple “offense,” if you could call it that. Not even an offense; it’s a violation.
Until Diamond starts capturing video of the scene on her phone, we don’t know the particulars of the exchange between the unnamed police officer and Philando Castile. What we do know, according to Diamond, is that Philando informed the officer that he had a conceal-and-carry permit, and that, when he reached for his wallet to get out his ID for the officer, the unnamed police officer shot Philando four times.
Four times.
While his fiancée’s four-year-old daughter was in the back seat.
We know the name of the man who was murdered in cold blood by a police officer: Philando Castile. We know the name of the deceased; why not the name of the police officer?
After being shot, his arm nearly blown off, Philando slumped in the driver’s seat and died by his fiancée’s side. Meanwhile, the police officer stood by the side of the vehicle with his weapon still trained on Philando Castile, and did nothing to call for assistance.
There was no noticeable regret in the police officer’s voice.
No remorse.
Only, clearly, the voice of an agitated person who just murdered another human being.
An agitated person who just murdered another human being, whom he was sworn to protect and serve.
The voice of a murderer, and the cries of his would-be daughter and bride to be.
This is America.
No longer the land of the free.
Especially if you are black.