My prayers go out to all of those adversely affected by the perverted actions of Ismaaiyl Brinsley – the disturbed man who assassinated NYPD Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu on December 20, 2014.
Brinsley, a deranged human being and a “lone wolf” is solely responsible for the pain and suffering caused by the horrific violence he perpetrated that fateful day against his girlfriend and Officers Ramos and Liu.
According to various press reports, Brinsley’s violent rampage began on the morning of December 20th in Baltimore, Maryland where he shot his 29-year-old girlfriend in the stomach, stole, her cellular phone, and boarded a bus to New York City. Later that day Brinsley arrived in NYC. A few hours after his arrival, he snuck up on the unsuspecting officers and killed them in cold blood. At the time of their murders the officers were sitting in a police vehicle with their weapons holstered. Sadly, there was no opportunity for the officers to defend themselves.
Following the assassinations, Brinsley ran into a subway station and committed suicide. Mercifully, albeit probably unintentionally, Brinsley’s suicide spares the officers’ families and the rest of the country the pain of going through a public trial that would no doubt exacerbate the recently exposed political and social tensions that exists in many communities.
Unfortunately Brinsley’s depraved actions have left a trail of sadness and destruction. An innocent young woman suffered a serious gunshot wound to the abdomen and two brave police officers- Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu are dead. The families of all three victims are left to cope with their enormous pain and suffering. Like other victims of violent crimes, the police officers’ families and friends will have to learn to live with the deep grief that stems from the brutal, senseless, sudden and permanent loss of their loved ones.
God, please comfort and help them all!
.
Reflections 