The Aftermath of a Slaying

We all have watched the news and seen pictures of crime scenes or a covered body on TV. We listen to crime news over the radio and read the news papers and see photos of crime scenes. We even watch movies with violence and crime scenes. But, to be right there, close to the crime scene is different than watching it on TV. It is hard to grasp what is right in front of you. It gets to you because you realize that the victim is somebody's loved one.

There's nothing to compare with witnessing the aftermath of a killing. A couple of days ago I was on my way to a local 7 - 11 store. When I reached the corner I saw that the street was blocked off, I couldn't see how far it was blocked so I just went around the long way to the 7-11 store.

I got a call from a friend who lives near the store. She said she thought she heard gun shots. Seconds later she heard more sounds which sounded like gun shots. She said it could have been something else; either one of us have ever heard gun shots. We've heard lots of fire crackers go off during holidays, so we assumed that's what gun shots sounded like. She heard the shots approximately 15 minutes before I left home.

As I approached the 7-11, the entire parking lot at the small shopping area was taped off with yellow tape. Several police cars and a fire truck were parked around the parking lot. I observed a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties or maybe late teens. He was hysterical, he was crying, hitting the wall, he was beyond upset, so much emotion coming from his face. I parked my car at the apartments across the street from the 7-11 store. I walked to the side walk where several spectators had already gathered. I looked across the street. There he was lying on his back; stretched out on the pavement.

In the parking lot, at the 7-11, was the body of a young man; he was lying face up, stretched out on the pavement. Even from across the street, the mass of blood could be seen, blood covered a large portion of the victim's head. First thing came to my mind was, his family, he was somebody's son, or brother or grand son, somebody's friend. He walked out of the store and was shot in the head, shot to his death. He won't be going back home. So quickly his young life had ended. A young man shot dead by another young man, the third young man beside himself with pain and grief, unable to grasp the reality of what was before him.

Turned out, the young man that was having such a hard time was walking out of the store with victim when he was shot. Nobody knew if it was a brother or a friend. Nobody really knew what had happened. They heard shots and came outside and saw the body lying on the pavement, in the parking lot, right in front of the store entrance. I couldn't stop thinking about his family and their loss. I couldn't fathom what they will feel when they get the news.

Seeing the body of the young man lying on the ground and all the blood that covered his head, was far different than watching a crime scene on TV. There I was very near to a real live crime scene, the body of a very young man, stretched out, on its back on the pavement, shot in the head; another young man trying to grasp the reality of it all.

I don't know what happened; I got there after the fact. t was very traumatizing to see that body on the ground. A life ended so suddenly; two young men walked out of the store; several gun shots were heard, the life of a young man ended. Two young men walked to the store, only one young man would return home to his loved ones. This crime is only a few days old and the investigation is still going on. It is a sad story that happens much too often.