Why don't people want me to tell their story? For the first time in my short career, I think I may have offended family members who just experienced a tragedy while doing my job. I was sent to the house where the shooting took place after the late newscast and after I had already made it home and changed clothes. I was beginning to turn in for the night when I get the call. I go to the station to pick up my camera, all the while thinking about what may have caused the killing: a drug deal gone bad, an attempted robbery, an accident. I never thought that it would be what it was (so I've been told): the wife shot her husband because of an abortion/pregnancy conflict.
Sadly, this was not the story to me, nor is it likely what I will remember for years to come. When I drove up outside the house there where dozens of people just standing around outside the house... A house that had crime scene tape wrapped all around. Family members were outside and were protective of their loved ones in mourning... to the point where a the brother and a cousin of the deceased approached me... really kinda a got in my personal space... and urged me to not get video of folks in the crowd. When I explained to them that it's my job to tell the story about what happened there, when I explained to them that it's my job to show people the emotion associated with a tragic loss... my explanations fell on deaf ears. And in hindsight, I may have been insensitive to the situation and to them. I usually pride myself on being a compassionate journalist, but something slipped this time... and I think it began when those two guys got in"my personal space". But I remember the grandmother, getting weak, crying, and family asking neighbors for a lawn chair for the woman to sit, cry, and rest her soul, if only for a moment.
The dozens of people stood around the house watching and waiting. But why? I wondered. Elementary school children were in the street watching... and its after midnight. They should have been in bed, but they were standing outside a house watching and waiting with maybe their parent(s)- but I hope not- or an older sibling... Watching and waiting for "the body" to be taken out of the house. And when the body was removed and put into the hearse... as if the movie were letting out... everyone dispersed. And within seconds, the street was clear save for the crime scene investigators, a few family members, and me.
When I left, I told the brother and cousin, I was sorry for their loss.
This was the seventh murder this year.
I was on the scene of four of the murders within a couple hours after they happened, while crime scene investigators where collecting data. I was outside the houses... those who were killed in those houses didn't expect to come out with destinations to a funeral home. The ones I covered, they were coming home or visiting a friend, and they were murdered...
- Willie Nesbitt, 24 years old... drive-by shooting
- Frederick Edwards, 58 and Mary Edwards, 55... Domestic shooting (double murder-suicide)
- Jonta Tarver, 23 years old... Domestic shooting
The other murders this year...
- Charles Worthy, 55... First murder of the year
- Curlysia Watkins, 24... Domestic
- Jerry Moore, 19... Shot in the head
I want to forget... But I can't.
