Editorial: Pittsburgh police failure in funeral shooting demands more than apology
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Sometimes an apology is enough. It might not heal the wound, but sometimes the words will stop the bleeding.
A fender bender. A broken glass. Spilled milk. These are things that can be smoothed over with good intentions and genuine contrition.
But there are other things that require more than a simple “sorry.”
On Oct. 28, a funeral at Destiny of Faith Church in Pittsburgh’s Brighton Heights neighborhood ended not in sorrowful tears or rueful remembrances but in bullets and bloodshed — just like the life of John Hornezes Jr.
Hornezes was one of three people killed in a late-night shooting days earlier in Allegheny Commons.
“Why would someone come to a funeral and try to kill even more people?” Destiny of Faith’s Rev. Nicita Moses asked. “It’s upsetting.”
Even more upsetting is knowing that perhaps six people being shot outside the church could have been mitigated, if not avoided completely, had there been a police presence. On Thursday, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police acting Chief Thomas Stangrecki confirmed that a request for law enforcement had been made but nothing had been done about it.
“We regret that PBP did not provide the presence asked of us on a difficult day. As a matter of policy, we are conducting an internal investigation into what went wrong in this situation. As not only police officers, but members of this community, we consider this totally unacceptable,” Stangrecki said in a statement.
It is unacceptable, and not just because of the pain and suffering of the victims or the potential loss of life. It is also unacceptable because of the questions that it raises.
Why was the action not taken? Was it because two of the victims in the first shooting — Jacquelyn Mehalic, 33, and Betty Averytt, 59 — were described as innocent bystanders while Hornezes was noted as part of the fight that claimed lives?
“As previously stated in other briefings, it is our hope that the inaction of a few do not reflect negatively on the actions of many who worked diligently to respond, investigate and bring those responsible to justice in the aftermath of this tragedy,” Stangrecki’s statement said.
The attendees at the funeral might have said much the same thing.
Police protection should be afforded to those who need it and especially to those who ask for it. To not do so is more than a mistake. It’s a choice, and that requires more than an apology.