Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

The shootings continue. The death toll keeps going up. When will it end? Only God knows. The next minute is not guaranteed to anyone. We are told to constantly be aware of our surroundings and to always be on guard But is that any way for people to live? Sadly, in this day and time, yes. A daily dose of reality reminds us. Just a few days ago, someone made the decision that they were going to end someone's life. On June 5, 2023, Monroe Police responded to a call around 10:14 PM about a shooting on Jackson Street in Monroe, LA. When officers arrived, they encountered a scene they have seen all too often. It is a scene that city residents have played out in their heads more times than they would like to when hearing of another shooting. Officers said three male adult victims were found at the scene. All of them had been shot. Sadly, two of the victims succumbed to their wounds. The third victim was transported to a local hospital in critical condition according to information supplied by MPD. The deceased victims were identified as 31-year-old Henry Walker, Jr. and 26-year-old Kehari Fletcher. Details appeared to be murky, as MPD said in a statement that no other suspects are believed to be responsible for this shooting. Some may ask, are there any suspects at all? Who may be responsible for the shooting if there are no other suspects? Police are asking for the public to come forth with any information concerning this shooting that has left two people dead. As of press time, another individual, hopefully, will survive. It is another killing that, like others, makes no sense. Two families must prepare to say goodbye to someone that meant the world to family members. There are memories of those two young men, 31 and 26, who will not be what someone perhaps hoped they would be. They were male figures who were perhaps brothers, cousins, or fathers who will not see their children grow to be adults. Shootings of this magnitude have terrifying implications on families, and we hope that one day, they will stop, but we live in a reality where we know that life for any of us can end in a second, not just from natural causes. We can't stop praying for an end to the violence because our young people must be here when we older adults are not. Young people, it is your future, your time to go where we couldn't. It's yours if you want it. Choose life.

Henry Walker Jr