A man accused of fatally shooting a police officer made a song about killing a cop, then he did it. Early on a Sunday morning he shot 24 year old Elwood Officer Noah Shahnavaz (pictured) in the face. According to the shooter's rap sheet, (which included the term SVF for 'serious violent felon') he had served 9 prison sentences.
But Noah has plenty of company. Targeted shootings at police officers are up 43% this year compared to the same time period in 2021 and up 63% compared to 2020.
Gone are the days of Barney Fife.
Long gone. Our finest must wear a flack jacket or bullet-proof vest going out the door in the morning. But in spite of the risks, they continue to work for us. Just last week, IMPD missing persons and vice units gave crucial support to a national sex trafficking initiative where nine children were rescued and three sex offenders were taken into custody in Indiana.
Over the past year, our police force has worked through the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force to remove illegally trafficked guns in our community, which has caused the largest decline in homicides in more than a decade. In the last 12 months, the task force has seized 369 firearms and arrested 397 individuals.
According to a national audit, Indiana has only about 2 police officers for every 1000 people. That's fewer than half those in some states. Most are overworked and on constant alert to personal danger as they protect our communities. Yet, every day they are changing the landscape from destruction to peace, as they reduce gun violence, solve murders, stop domestic abuse and sex trafficking—and that's when they're not getting a cat out of a tree for some little kid.
Today, many who wanted to defund police have decided that police are actually necessary. Unfortunately, the era of anti-law and anti-police rhetoric has done terrible damage and caused the loss of too many worthy men and women. I bet the families of Noah and the other 50-or-so who have been targeted and killed so far this year would agree.
Nancy
