Letters to the Editor (Jan. 2)

‘Swatter’ should get murder charge

It is with great sorrow that I read of the death of Andrew Finch. I can’t imagine the torment this has brought to the family, and to the unfortunate officer who had to fire the shot.

The suspect grants an interview on YouTube and actually confesses to his actions, but maintains that the death was not his fault. He goes on to say that he has “swatted” people and organizations more than once and has been paid for doing it. That makes him, essentially, an internet hit man. At the very least, his actions have cost his targets lots of money and considerable inconvenience. And now, it has cost a life.

He claims that he is not to blame because he was not the one who actually pulled the trigger. I say that he may as well have. I do not know about Kansas law, but in my state his actions constitute sufficient probable cause for a charge of murder. I hope that Kansas has a similar statute. The death of Mr. Finch was a foreseeable consequence of the suspect’s actions. By his own admission, the suspect is responsible for the death of Andrew Finch (although he doesn’t think so).

Unanswered questions in Finch death

Deputy police chief Troy Livingston’s narrative about the killing of Andrew Finch makes no mention about the need of more training for police officers despite the chilling details.

Livingston is describing the killing of a citizen of the United States when he blithely reports that a weapon “discharged.” Finch was unarmed, confused and terrified as any of us would be if summoned outside and hailed with a barrage of commands. He had broken no laws.

Questions that need answering:

Why was not one call made to the residence prior to sending a SWAT team? Why was more investigation into the source of the call not conducted prior to surrounding the home? Why were no neighbors contacted to confirm shots had been fired?

We are grateful for the men and women who protect our lives on the front lines of public order, but we must point the finger when mistakes are made. The finger in this case must be pointed at the officer who pulled the trigger, the procedures in place, and the apparent lack of training our defenders of the peace are being given before being entrusted with our lives.

There for the opener

I had the privilege, along with a small contingent of Shocker supporters, to attend the Wichita State-Connecticut game on Saturday at Hartford’s XL Center. Though the team couldn’t hear us over the voices of 16,000 Huskies fans, the Shockers stayed focused and early on got their bearings. From that point, there was no stopping Wichita.

The American Athletic Conference debut was a roaring success by any measure, with kudos to Coach Gregg Marshall, his staff and a great team. Rest assured as they play in new digs around the country, there will always be a cadre of proud Shockers there to support them.

This story was originally published January 2, 2018 at 3:50 AM with the headline "Letters to the Editor (Jan. 2)."