On Monday afternoon, four police officers were shot in Houston, Texas while serving a narcotics warrant; another officer sustained a knee injury. Two of the suspected shooters are believed to be dead and all injured police officers were taken to the hospital, according to CBS News.
An Overview of What Happened
Approximately 12 police officers approached a home in the southeast area of Houston in order to serve the aforementioned narcotics warrant. Individuals within the home promptly began firing shots at the police officers. As previously stated, these shot led to multiple injuries of police officers. While at least two of the shooters are suspected to be dead, they have left a serious amount of carnage in their wake.
Art Acevedo, the Houston Police Chief, issued a public statement about the events which took place:
“Once the officers breached the door and the gunfire began from the suspects, one of the suspects actually retreated momentarily to the back of the room and then that suspect came back and again engaged the officers in gunfire.”
Joe Gamaldi, the president of the Houston Police Offivers’ Union, also shared some remarks about police officers and individuals who have made police officers out to be the enemy.
The Demonization of Police Officers
At the end of the day, each individual bears responsibility for his or her own actions. However, this does not erase the fact that anti-police rhetoric has gone on for quite some time and even been perpetrated by various public figures. The fact of the matter is the police officers are not the enemy. The majority of police officers are upstanding men and women who put themselves in harm’s way each day to be of service to others.
Hopefully, each person who played a hand in the shooting of these Houston officers will have their day in court. It would also be nice if certain individuals could tone down the anti-cop rhetoric and end the narrative that all police officers are evil people who abuse their power.
What are your thoughts on this latest tragedy to take place in Houston, Texas? Sound off in the comments section below!
