Gun violence is an everyday occurrence in our country. So much, that it seems mainstream media outlets have to pick-and-choose which acts will be reported and which ones will not; which ones go on the front page and which ones are buried inside; which ones should be factually reported in print and which ones should be left to the tongues of gossips and opinions of social media posters.
The shock that we should be feeling seems to have been replaced with a shake-of-the head while thinking "not again."
There should be a feeling of sympathy for all victims and their families. One should especially fear the criminal who would point a gun at an armed police officer a pull the trigger. If they are willing to shoot an armed police officer, they probably wouldn't think twice about shooting an unarmed civilian.
When law enforcement officers shoot its big news. When they're shot, well not so much. They can face uncertainty and danger every day. They start their shift never knowing.
So that you may know, or might remember, here is a list of police officers who were fatally shot to date in 2019, while on duty at the time of the shooting, and did not die by "friendly fire.
Jersey City (New Jersey) Police Detective Joseph Seals; Houston Police Sgt. Christopher Brewster; Huntsville (Alabama) Police Agent Billy Fred Clardy III; Lowndes County (Alabama) Sheriff John Williams; Detroit Police Officer Rasheen McClain; Richmond County (Georgia) Sheriff's Office Investigator Cecil Ridley; Dayton (Ohio) Police Detective Jorge DelRio; El Dorado (California) Deputy Sheriff Brian Ishmael; Harris County (Texas) Deputy Sheriff Sandeep Dhaliwal; Mandeville (Louisiana) Police Captain Vincent "Vinny" Liberto, Jr.;
Tuscaloosa (Alabama) Police Officer Dornell Cousette; Texas Highway Patrol Officer Moises Sanchez; Illinois State Police Trooper Nicholas Hopkins; California Highway Patrol Officer Andre Moye; Stone County (Arkansas) Sheriff's Office Sergeant Michael Stephen; Hall County (Georgia) Sheriff's Deputy Nicolas Dixon; Fulton County (Illinois) Deputy Sheriff Troy Chisum; North County Police Cooperative (Missouri) Officer Michael Langsdorf; Mission (Texas) Cpl. Jose Espericueta; Sacramento (California) Police Officer Tara O'Sullivan; Auburn (Alabama) Police Officer William Buechner; Savannah (Georgia) Police Officer Kelvin Ansari;
Biloxi (Mississippi) Police Officer Robert McKeithen; Mooresville (North Carolina) Police Officer Jordan Harris Sheldon; Cowlitz County (Washington) Deputy Sheriff Justin DeRosier; El Paso County (Texas) Deputy Sheriff Peter Herrera; Kittitas County (Washington) Deputy Sheriff Ryan Thompson; McHenry County (Illinois) Deputy Sheriff Jacob Keltner; Midland (Texas) Police Officer Nathan Heidelberg; Sullivan County (Tennessee) Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Hinkle; Puerto Rico Police Agent Alfred Zanyet-P?rez; Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew Rittner; Virginia State Trooper Lucas B. Dowell; Mobile (Alabama) Police Officer Sean Tuder; Birmingham (Alabama) Police Sgt. Wytasha Carter; Davis (California) Police Officer Natalie Corona; and Provo (Utah) Police Officer Joseph Shinners.
All had families, many had children.
Remember, they were victims too.