I read something this week that appalled me.  Since the 9-1-1 attacks on the World Trade Center towers, over 5000 civilians have been killed by police.  Think about that.  How can police justify killing that many people unless they are being fired upon?  A Washington Post blogger stated that you are 8 times more likely to be killed by local police than you are a terrorist.  It appears that most Americans suffer with the misconception that the mission of your local police is to serve and protect. That is far from the truth, especially with the advent of the Patriot Act.  What the police now seem to do is enforce laws (in any way they please), make arrests and issue citations.  They still serve and protect.  But, police serve and protect themselves when they go overboard and kill an innocent civilian for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Such an incident occurred in Chillicothe, Ohio.

A mother of three, ages 9, 14, and 19,  Krystal Barrows was sitting on her couch when police knocked on the door to deliver a search warrant.  Before police even entered the house, a police officer fired a shot into the manufactured home.  Krystal was sitting on the couch, unarmed and posing no threat to police.  Krystal was "accidentally" shot in the head.  She died later at the hospital.  Police claimed to find guns, money and heroin in the house. Police also claimed to arrest six people who had outstanding warrants.  The Sheriff's office has given no details as to how Krystal was shot in the head "accidentally."  Police have only stated they are investigating how the gun malfunctioned or if it was a mistake.  I have not seen any further updates to this story.  But, it is dubious at best that six people with warrants would be stuck in a house with a large amount of guns and drugs.  The last time I checked, it is not illegal to have guns or money in your house.  The last time I checked, there was no death penalty for possession of heroin.  That search warrant had to be specific.  I simply don't believe it gave police freedom to check whatever they pleased.  The search warrant itself is going to be very interesting as this investigation goes further. I suspect those six people are going to be released.

Meanwhile, Krystal Barrows is still dead.  Nothing the police or the judicial system does now will bring her back.  If there were drugs, if there were money (that one is a red flag to me), if there were guns in the house, the police still had no excuse to fire into that house.  The idea this was an "accident" or a "malfunctioning gun" is ridiculous.  Police are becoming more blase about violating civil rights as they continue to get away wtih such actions as in Chillicoth, Ohio.  Police simply don't care any longer.  They will do as they damn well please.  The only thing that will bring forth a national police reform act is if a loved one of a politician is involved someday.  That's the way things usually get done in this country.