Police hate domestic violence calls, where  a situation can rapidly fall apart.

Early Sunday morning, February 18, 2024, police were called to a home in the southern part of the Twin Cities in MN. A man was threatening his long time partner, and seven children ages two to fifteen. After hours of negotiations, the man suddenly shot two officers and then turned his gun on a paramedic trying to save them, before taking his own life.

My Facebook posts have been filled with the story of their deaths. The last congregation I served had a family of police officers who were brothers and sons. My thoughts immediately turned to them and  their families.

There’s much to say about guns.  So many, many guns. And there were multiple guns in this household. Because of his violent history, the man  who killed the officers and paramedic wasn’t allowed to have a gun.  Yet he had so many.

Three men lost their lives while saving eight other lives. A woman, and seven children are alive today, because of their sacrifice.

Daily there are people like the three who died on Sunday.  They run into burning buildings, confront danger on the streets . . .  They are firefighters and police who risk their lives to save others.

Jesus said. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13