Letters to the Editor for December 15

There is a saying in criminal justice discussions: “No victim, no crime,” meaning that if there is the possibility of a victim, a crime committed that doesn’t actually have one is not a crime where shooting someone is justified.

Whatever the suspect had done up to this point (the point of the deputy discharging his weapon), there was no victim. No one had been injured. No victim means no violence. There was no direct attack upon the deputy. No victim and no direct attack to me means you don’t get to shoot a suspect.

Policing is a high-risk job. It takes wisdom and experience, training and de-escalation skills. Having a black object in hand while fleeing a scene is not the same thing as being a threat. News media reports the suspect was running away from the officer. I know police get adrenalized, they can see guns where cell phones exist and it’s a dangerous job, but this suspect was not directly threatening the deputy. No capital offenses committed.

There could many reasons why this man fled, but one thing is clear to me: We need to give those who serve and protect better training in dealing with this kind of situation. Discharging a firearm in the line of duty is a serious responsibility. As a veteran and citizen, I draw attention to the fact that had this suspect been killed, we would be dealing with a different situation, something akin to the social outcry taking place across our country.

Don’t wait until we have a dead officer or suspect before we have this community discussion. It’s too important to ignore.

Scott Scrimshaw

Hood River

Shelter support

I have recently completed my first week as host for the wonderful Warming Shelter, located in Riverside Church, where people who are, at this time, without shelter can find a warm place to eat, sleep and be cared for.

I am overwhelmed by the generosity of this community in giving time, clothing donations, love and funds to keep the place going during the cold months of the year. But here, I would especially like to highlight the delicious and abundant meals donated by our local restaurants. The guests and the volunteers are so grateful for their generosity. For my week of hosting, I would like to especially thank Mark DeResta of Riverside Grill for coordinating the food we receive as well as donating the delicious green chile stew with rice we had last week. Double Mountain donated their famous pizza and salad, Celilo donated a polenta and veggies with meat dish, The Mesquitery graced us with delicious ribs and salad, Kick Stand brought us giant burritos and rice and beans, and Solstice thrilled the group with cheeseburgers.

Every night, there was a full course meal to be anticipated and enjoyed. It is wonderful to see the less fortunate among us being treated with kindness and nourishment beyond the basics. There will be many more meals this year and many more thanks.

Please enjoy supporting these establishments and let them know you appreciate the love they are sharing with our community.

Susan Bellinson

Hood River