I Don't Even Know What to Say . . .

Here we go again. I do not make these stories up. I don't go looking for them. In fact, I don't even like to have to write about them. But these stories are just too compelling and need to be told. The United States is experiencing an epidemic. Not from disease. Not from a terrorist attack. From the police.

This time it is 95 year old, decorated WWII veteran, John Wrana, enclosed in a room in a nursing home with seven police officers armed with riot shields, tasers, and 12 gauge shotguns. There were no staff or other residents present. The old man's weapons--his cane and a shoehorn. I am not kidding. After the taser failed to subdue the ailing nonagenerian, the police fired several bean bag rounds from the shotguns, striking him hard enough to cause internal bleeding. He died the next morning.

Tribune columnist John Kass filed an excellent piece on the incident that can be found at:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-08-03/news/ct-met-kass-0802-20130803_1_butcher-type-kitchen-knife-park-forest-police-taser

I will refrain from further editorializing, let you read the story, and draw your own conclusions. As always, please feel free to leave comments on this blog.

Helen (d: 2005) and John Wrana in 2005