Dashcam video: Cop drags woman off tracks seconds before train mows her down

Caught on tape!  Cop rescues woman from train tracks

seconds before train speeds by.

(Dashcam video:  Richmond Police Department)

With so many stories of law enforcement authorities (from officials to beat cops) being exposed for corruption, it’s easy for people to forget the many officers out there who continuously uphold their oath to protect and serve.  The Huffington Post reports today that one heroic officer snatched a suicidal woman off the train tracks mere moments before the speeding train would have shred her to pieces.

Police Officer Ramon Morales, 27, of the Richmond Police Department (RPD), was hailed by a passerby early Sunday morning.  The person told Morales that there was a woman on the train tracks.  When Morales arrived he says that he saw a woman on the tracks crying, the crossing guard was coming down, and he sprang into action.  (Continue reading full story here.)

Are police responsible for Isla Vista shooting massacre?

Balcony of one of 10 crime scenes

in Isla Vista Shooting Rampage.

(Photo Credit:  David McNew/Getty Images)

Time and time again, we hear stories of mass shootings and wonder why no one in the perpetrator’s circle saw any signs of trouble.  If they did see signs, why did no one care enough to report these signs to someone who could help?  CNN is reporting today that the Isla Vista killing of multiple innocent people last week had been carefully planned over the past few years and there were many close calls that could have derailed the scheme.

There were more than enough red flags and, sadly, some of the blame must be squarely placed on the shoulders of those charged to protect and to serve…the police.  To be fair, the police probably get tips all day, every day about this or that.  And often they might have to make decisions on whether to give priority to a robbery in progress (potentially saving lives now) or to a tip called in by a concerned family member about a relative exhibiting odd behavior (potentially saving lives in the future).

Sadly the mass slaughtering of innocent people by Elliot Rodger, 22, was a tragedy that could have been prevented.  (Continue reading full story here.)

When the physician can't heal herself; mentor to girls commits suicide at 22

Karyn Washington, CEO and founder of For Brown Girls

(photo credit:  Karyn Washington via Facebook)

In a cruel twist of irony, it was reported yesterday that Karyn Washington, 22, CEO and founder of For Brown Girls, has committed suicide.  Washington was known for battling the stigma sometimes attached with being a dark-skinned young woman in today’s society.  She wrote pieces and reached out to her fans and followers encouraging them to be the best they could be and to be true to and proud of themselves because there is beauty in all of us.

Upon founding For Brown Girls, Washington said that her purpose was not to discriminate, but to empower and uplift all young girls and women, especially those often singled out.  And according to the posts and comments of thousands of the followers of her Facebook page, that is exactly what she did.  She created For Brown Girls in response to rapper ASAP Rocky’s comments in an interview saying that dark girls shouldn’t wear red lip stick.

One of her friends, writer and editor, Ty Alexander, shared yesterday some emails they’d shared a mere six months ago.  Even though her own mother was battling cancer, Washington reached out to Alexander when Alexander’s mother passed.  They continued to check up on each other.  Washington was apparently suffering from depression and difficulty in coping with the loss of her mother.  Blogger Aliyah, a childhood friend talked about how even when they were little, Washington was drawn to help those who seemed lonely or lost.

Sometimes the strongest warriors also carry the burden of the biggest pain hidden inside.  When the masses look to you for help, it can be easy to be so busy that you don’t have time to take care of you.  By all accounts, Washington was aware of her depression and was doing all the right things (seeking help, attending grief groups, etc.) in an effort to get assistance.  No one but Washington knows what finally made it all too much.

For those young girls and women that remain, if you or anyone you know even hints that they cannot take it anymore, please share with them the National Suicide Prevention 24-hour hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).  They can also be reached at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Yes Bullying Should Be A Crime

Rebecca Ann Sedwick

Photo Credit:  Courtesy of Heavy.com

Most of us were shocked and saddened at the suicide of 12-year-old Rebecca Sedwick. Rebecca lived in Lakeland, Florida, and according to the website Heavy.com, she was last seen alive leaving for school on the morning of September 9, 2013. She was reported missing at 7:00pm that evening. Around 2:30am the morning of September 10, 2013, Rebecca's lifeless body was discovered.

Rebecca's parents and the community were stunned at this news. As investigators struggled to get to the bottom of why a child would commit suicide, frightening details began to emerge. What unfolded was a real-life tale as ugly as the 70's movie “Carrie”. We all knew that that something was amiss when the police arrested two female suspects just this past Monday, October 14, 2013. It turns out that these girls had somehow managed to allegedly play Pied Piper to at least 15 other kids and lead them in a savage bullying attack on Rebecca.

Even after Rebecca's parents removed her from school in 2012 to protect her from the constant harassment, the assaults took on a cyberistic twist. The same things that make the internet and social media advantageous to companies and advertisers, e.g. it’s instantaneous, far-reaching, and easily accessible, is the same thing that can make them deadly in the wrong or ignorant hands.

This case seems to be a mixture of many things that went wrong. The facts are chilling. It includes: a gang pack mentality reminiscent of the manic neighbors in the Twilight Zone's “Monsters are Due on Maple Street” episode; girls barely old enough to see PG-rated movies without an adult insanely jealous over lost "love"; and this hotbed of tortuous emotions targeted at a young girl who could not escape the darts of cyber arrows because she, like many of us adults, are intrinsically attached to mobile devices, computers, and social media as a way of life. It's become a way we communicate, while becoming more isolated. Whether we call them friends, followers, or fans, it’s implied that these people like us. So more time we spend in front of our devices, the more real and personal these hurtful insults can be.

This young lady lost her life over meanness, plain and simple. Yes, we have to continue to instill in our young people a kinder, gentler nature. At the same time we must warn them that everyone is not kind. Let's give them the names and phone numbers of specific people they can go to in the schools who have committed themselves to squashing out the bully epidemic.

Finally, many people are in an uproar that these children have been arrested. I too believe in the innocent nature of children. But someone or something has exposed these girls to a hardness of heart well beyond their years. Doing something wrong and regretting it is one thing, but the 14-year-old's response on Facebook "Yes IK I bullied REBECCA nd she killed her self but IDGAF," the Facebook post read. Grady Judd, sheriff of Polk County, Florida, said the online vernacular meant "I don't give a (expletive)." absolutely lent itself to an arrest being made.

There have always been bullies trying to rule the playground. But the difference is their weapons are now much more sophisticated and in many cases, deadly. Let's continue to love, protect, and train our kids about life, feelings, and consequences.

My prayers and condolences to the family and friends of Rebecca Ann Sedwick. May she rest in peace.

**1-800-273-8255 - Please call this number immediately if you think you cannot go on, or have any thoughts of suicide. Or share this number if you know someone you think might feel this way. This is the toll free number for the Suicide Prevention Services of America. They are there to help children, teens, and adults. They will listen to you.