The events of the last few days have been difficult and emotional ones, with news coming at us at a fast pace as the story has unfolded, with more surely to come. It’s hard to process, hard to know how to think about.
First and foremost, I want to express my deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Officer Natalie Corona. By all accounts, she was a kind person who was dedicated to serving her community. Her senseless and tragic death is a reminder that even in seemingly mundane situations, a police officer is always putting their life on the line, a target for those who have a grudge against the police (if that is indeed what has happened here, as suggested by the letter from the shooter). We all need to be grateful for those who are willing to serve on a police force. (Full disclosure: my grandfather was a NYC street cop).
It is understandable that so much of our focus would be on the loss and sacrifice of Officer Corona. But I want to highlight something else we’ve heard a lot less about: the officers who were working the night of her death. They surrounded the house where the shooter lived for hours. According to the accounts I’ve read, the shooter emerged from the house twice, at least once with a gun. That could have gone very badly for the police. The situation was unpredictable and the lives of those police officers were under a direct threat.
Davisite 