Michael J.

Michael J.

Michael J is keeping you in touch everywhere you find Country music: on the air, on-line and with the iHeartRadio app! If it's happening in...Full Bio

 

Armed Guard Didn't Go In High School During Shooting! Can You Forgive Him?

It is completely impossible for me to even try to imagine what the parents, family and friends of anyone directly or even remotely connected to victims of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are going through.

I also can't put myself in the boots of Scot Peterson, the armed school resource officer who NEVER went into the school as the bullets flew, "despite taking a position on the west side of Building 12, where most of the carnage happened," according to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel

Today, while the Sheriff has suspended Peterson without pay pending a complete investigation, the former officer has chosen to resign and retire as he begins to deal with a firestorm of anger and hate on social media.

I'm sure I could not forgive Peterson myself either had my children or wife been in that school that day, but the part of my heart that is guided by my belief in God leads me to remember FORGIVENESS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD DO.

I can't imagine what was in this officer's mind.  Just like I can't wrap my head around the insanity inside the shooter's mind. 

Was this armed school resource officer purely shocked and unable to perform his duties from fear? 

Was he waiting for backup? 

Was he afraid that his pistol would be no match for the firing he was hearing? 

Was he trained improperly to respond to the situation unfolding?

I hope we get answers from the investigation. In the meantime, I'm going to do my best to forgive a man who it appears should have done a lot more to stop this massacre. I'd expect his conscious will be a tough judge as he has to live with his guilt AND the Florida judicial system will figure out an appropriate penalty if found guilty of a crime as well. It shouldn't be up to us to throw stones on social media thought. Just saying. Michael J


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