Tears of sadness fell from the eyes of the young adult whose friend lay dead inside of the house. As this mourning female sat in the back seat of a law enforcement truck, she was in need of consoling.

Prior to arriving on scene, I had been making a routine, late afternoon visit to the Sheriff’s Office. While engaged in conversations, the call for a gunshot victim was broadcast over the radio. As I listened to more of the report and determined that it might become a fatal shooting, I decided to head towards the scene, not knowing if anyone would need a chaplain or not.

After making the twenty minute drive, I exited my work truck and quickly came into contact with an attending medic, who was standing beside the grieving female. The medic was assisting the weeping woman and directed me to take over as the provider of comfort and support.

I remained beside her for approximately 30 minutes until she was transported to the office to be interviewed. At this point I engaged family member and neighbors in conversation as a means of helping them.

Several deputies left to return to the office for interviews while others remained on scene to conduct their investigation. Since all of the eyewitnesses were going to the agency with the officers, I headed there also to assist a family member and a witness.

While we have had several more homicides this year than in any other one in recent history, they distinctly leave a deep imprint on my heart and soul. This violent event reminds me that this horrible tragedy is still anything but routine.

https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2020/sep/11/flathead-man-charged-deliberate-homicide/