I was preparing to take a quick over night trip with the kids out the the coast, I sent the kids to a half day at Daycare for pictures and so I could take some time to get ready to leave. At 1230 I was searching for my keys (I always miss place them at home) so I could go and get the kids, when I got a call from Catherine at the Daycare. She was calling to tell me not to come, she said the street was blocked off by police, the SWAT team was out in full gear, and everyone was wearing visible bullet proof vests (if they show, do they count)
She said, she had run outside when the first couple of officers where out of there cars, yelling that this was a daycare and there were small children inside. They directed her back to the house (the kids go to a registered in home care center in a nice area) and then they blocked her drive way with vehicles and several officers stood outside her place.
My first reaction was laughter (I must be completely off my rocker), it helped me keep the hysterics at bay. They directed her to keep the kids away from the windows and in the back of the home. When she made that statement I said I'm calling Micah and then I'm calling the station. I told her I trusted her and her judgement and told her to keep my babies safe (she may have started to cry at this point, I don't know I hung up) I called Micah and he started searching online for any breaking news. I called the station and the dispatch person, said that they had the situation contained and where now dealing with a large crime scene. At this point I started freaking (our new obsession is Dexter and my imagination was running away with me), I called Micah back to give him the 411 on the situation and headed for the car.
When I got there the road was blocked off, and only the people not wearing uniforms but carrying badges(detectives I think) where getting behind the yellow tape. The officer standing at the tape was looking a little hounded, and very unhappy with anyone coming near his yellow plastic. I told him in my best adult "impression" what he was going to do, and when he started to refuse I told him to contact his superior. It took 5-7 minutes, 5 phone calls, and him requesting that I step back from the tape 3 times, before I got an escort to the kids... but I got to my babies!
The kids were not ready to leave and as I grabbed blankets, Mason headed for the door. He easily dodged the officer and made it almost to the crime scene, before the man caught him and carried him back down the street and placed him solidly in his car seat. The entire time he carried Mase he held him extended from his body, with his arms pinned to his sides facing away from him (it was like he had a bomb). I would have laughed, but I was a little nervous with the first of 2 Swat buses trying to pass around us.
We headed out of town as fast as we could!
Here is
The link to the story
This is what it looked like when I pulled in
The officer I abused to get to my babies (poor guy) All the action was at least 1/4 of a mile farther back, and the actual shooting was in a cul de sac off of this street.
I am very grateful to the Eugene Police Department for responding quickly to this situation. I feel awful for the mans family, I have no sympathy for him and as far as I'm concerned the police did the right thing shooting him ( I'm sorry, but being a Veteran does not give him the right to run around like an idiot randomly firing a weapon and to endanger my kids, he's lucky the police got to him before I did). I have real issues with Veteran's acting like idiots and then playing the Vet card as an excuse for their bad behavior. I think that our local service departments deserve the same respect that we give to Veterans, they work hard keep us safe and get paid crap (they sound the same to me)!
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