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An officer's tragic death
Police officers may be called to duty at any time. That is why even off duty and out of uniform, they are required to carry guns. They never know when they will have to go into action, and when they might have to perform heroic deeds in volatile and chaotic circumstances.
Patrolman Cornel Young Jr., in responding to an incident outside a Providence diner early Friday morning, was engaged in such a heroic deed. Out of uniform, he was coming to the aid of two fellow police officers allegedly being threatened by a man with a gun. But in the fog of confusion, adrenaline and danger that makes up many crime scenes, the two other policemen shot and killed Mr. Young after he came out of the diner with his gun drawn. The diner manager had called police after Aldrin Diaz, who police say was waiting in a car for his girlfriend, involved in the altercation with another woman that started the whole incident, allegedly waved around a gun. Thus the situation was rife with tension and menace, and split-second decisions had to be made, one of them going horribly wrong. Officer Young, now promoted posthumously to sergeant, was a brave and highly promising young officer trying to deal with a dangerous situation. What we need to find out, among other things, why he was not recognized in time by his fellow officers and whether he adequately identified himself to them. Since Sergeant Young was African-American, some have raised racial questions. While it seems very unlikely that race played any role in this tragedy, an investigation by Rhode Island Atty. Gen. Sheldon Whitehouse should fully explore this and all other possible aspects of the shooting. Meanwhile, let facts, and not emotion and politics, prevail. While awaiting the results of the investigation, we urge that the citizens of Providence join in heeding the calming words of Mayor Cianci and unite in their mourning and respect for Cornel Young Jr. and his family.
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