We live in West Jordan off of 1800 West and 7000 South. It's a generally safe area. Not too much ever goes on. We have great neighbors, a good environment for our family, and I feel safe going out with my family at night and in the evenings.
Today there was a police standoff at the mouth of our neighborhood. A family that I know only by name was taken hostage by an estraged father. Word has it that the family (mother and two sons ages 10 and 15) came home from a store only to find their father (who is under a restraining order away from the family) in their house with a rifle pointed at them. The 15 year old son fought the rifle out of his father's hands and the mother and 10 year old fled the home. The police came and the 15 year old was let go as well. The man was still in the home with access to a gun safe, and therefore more weapons.
Nine hours later, after our neighborhood had been barricaded in, there was a loud boom and it was all over. I was just praying that boom wasn't a gun shot. It wasn't. Luckily the police were able to resolve the matter in a safe way physically. This says nothing for the mental safety of the family involved. Or the immediate neighbors who were barricaded in their homes because this man was standing in the window with a gun at higher footing.
I'm imagining many things right now: a young family terrorized by their father, a neighborhood that has to explain horrible things to young children that were around at the time, mostly a merciful and just Heavenly Father. A Heavenly Father that will reach out to this scared family and comfort them, a Heavenly Father that will care tenderly for His children.
No comments:
Post a Comment