Compassion...but not sympathy

On our last Friday hunt for city plots of land, my wife and I, traveling east on 6th, quickly turned right; the next intersection blocked by two police cars. Then we saw police cars piled in every intersection along Earl, all the way to Minnehaha. My wife said, "Something is up." "Get 'em boys" I shouted with a salute as we turned away from another blocked intersection. The two police smiled. Looking back from today, I don't know why. I was sincere, but feel foolish now, having learned who the " 'em "was,. When we looked back towards 3M crossing the RR tracks over Earl, police cruisers block every visible intersection. Two helicopters whirred and hummed and hung in the sky. We quit speculating about drills.

H. Evans, now held for the first degree murder of Sgt. Gerald Vick, (God Bless and Preserve the Police), has been studying for this role a long time. He has appeared before the bar some 20 times, always the bit player. Careless driving. Giving false information to police. Third-degree felony drug possession of crack cocaine. His sidekick got bigger parts, in longer running productions. Four years for possession of stolen property and a prior burglarly conviction. Felony check forgery.

Reviews are mixed. Friends said of Evans'roles, "He was street-knowledged, but he wasn't a violent person." And, "Did they pull a gun on him first?" Of Kelly, "He was always laughing, always just wanted to hang out," said cousin Benson.
Benson expressed disbelief that Kelly might shoot a police officer. "That's just not him."

Lead player Sgt. Gerald Vick received sterling reviews from fellow officers.And high honors, two Medals of Valor. On stage at Regions Hospital, Chief Harrington visited a new widow, and her two fresh orphans. Grief stopped his heart for speech. City wide mourning for Sgt. Vick swept away even strangers.

I have compassion for all the characters in this tragic play; yes even the suspects. But I have no synpathy for them. I am angered! I have sympathy only for the innocent. They've made their parts in this drama. Let them play it out to whatever rough end .