In the almost-20 years the Columbus Riverwalk has been open to visitors, the 2.5-mile path along the Tombigbee River is rarely in the news for anything other than being a popular recreational spot for our community.
When it opened in 2005, there was some concern that the Riverwalk’s greatest appeal – a meandering secluded nature path – might be a place where human predators could stalk and attack their victims, especially in the evenings.
It’s fair to say now that those fears have been largely unfounded. The Riverwalk is as safe – perhaps safer – as any other public space in our community.
Perhaps that’s why when a crime is committed at or near the Riverwalk, it is a noteworthy event.
Until this weekend, the last serious crime reported in the area came in 2015 when there was a report of an assault on First Street, near Riverside Park.
Saturday evening, a teenager was shot and killed in a public parking lot along the Riverwalk, which is, as far as we can determine, the first homicide ever to be connected with the recreation area.
It’s natural for people to be upset when violence happens in our community, and it’s especially upsetting when it happens in an area thought to be safe. In that sense, the Riverwalk’s good reputation makes the event even more jarring. In these cases, the response from the community may become an overreaction. Some perspective is of value here. The truth is that the Riverwalk remains as safe after this tragic event as it had been for the almost-20 years previous.
The location of Saturday’s shooting is not a material fact. This was not an incident where someone jumped out from behind a tree to attack a stranger. What transpired could have happened anywhere.
That leads us to another fact worth considering.
Police quickly arrested the victim’s 20-year-old ex-boyfriend, who had called 911 and claimed the victim had accidentally shot herself. An investigation showed she could not have shot herself, and the ex was quickly arrested on a murder charge.
The suspect and the victim knew each other, something FBI data says is true in more than 90% of homicides in the U.S. The saying, “better the devil you know than you don’t,” doesn’t apply in the overwhelming majority of murders.
The same data shows three-in-four homicides are committed by firearms.
In short, if you become a murder victim, it probably will come by the hand of someone you know who is armed.
That knowledge drives home an important reminder: If you are ever in a confrontation with someone who has a gun in his/her possession, the most important thing you can do is get away. It’s no time to argue or persuade. It’s time to defuse the situation and leave immediately.
It’s a lesson we should continue to hammer home to adults and young people alike.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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