She Read the News Today, Oh Boy ...

So I'm upstairs this morning, mudding and taping - a typical Sunday morning for me. I had been watching the Seahawks game, but when I read a two-sentence 'story' on the Internet that multiple police officers had been shot in Lakewood (south of Seattle), I changed over to KING 5 news.

The breaking news flashed across the bottom of the screen just as Annabelle entered the room.

"So, what's the news today?" she asked in a sing-song voice. I knew what was coming next. She turned toward the TV and read the announcement aloud: "Four officers killed."

"Four officers killed?" she repeated, this time a question. I found myself wishing she didn't know how to read. :/

"Today the news is very bad," I said, answering her original question.

"How were they killed? Were they shot?" she asked, filling in some blanks for herself.

Yes, they were shot. Four police officers, gunned down on a Sunday morning inside a coffee shop.

Throughout the day questions popped out of Annabelle. We answered them as best we could - factually, but trying to be reassuring.

It was mildly uplifting to be able to report to her later in the day that the police had a very good lead on who might have committed the crime. The kids were curious about how the "person of interest" was identified and we talked about good detective work and what it entails (asking lots of questions, being very observant, being a good listener, etc.).

CJ said he'd like to be a detective some day.

BIOs of the fallen, from the Lakewood PD
Sgt. Mark Renninger and Officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards were identified as the Lakewood Police officers killed this morning in the coffee shop in Parkland (just outside of Lakewood).

Renninger, 39, with 13 years of law-enforcement experience, is survived by his wife and three children.

Owens, 37, who spent 12 years in law enforcement, is survived by a former wife and a daughter.

Griswold, 40, a 14-year veteran officer, is survived by her husband and two children.

Richards, 42, who had eight years of law-enforcement experience, is survived by his wife and three children.