Saturday’s homicide is the kind of thing that can bring home a lesson many people would not like brought home. We have gotten used to violence in the news and the kinds of things we see in movies like SAW and Rob Zombie’s movies. People who fake violence can become multimillionaires by capitalizing on the macabre tendencies that Americans have.
We also tend to think the amount of violence we consume in the media has desensitized us. People claim that the sensationalization of crime and death is destructive to the psyche of Americans.
One thing is certain – no matter how many rapes we see on television, no matter how many times we see dead bodies on the news, no matter how many times we make war heroes out of characters in movies who kill everything they see, it never prepares you for death in real life.
We have learned there are students, visitors and staff who were at or near the scene of the crime. There are people who may have seen some things they did not want to see. UHPD Police Chief Malcolm Davis sat down and spoke with me and has two requests for these people.
‘ ‘If you’re concerned or saw something disturbing, talk to (Counseling and Psychology Services),’ he said.
Regardless of position or classification, if anyone has suffered any kind stress over this incident, CAPS is a great resource.
They are free to consult with initially and they have a staff that is well prepared to listen and take your issues to heart. The staff at CAPS is well qualified to help any member of our community who may need someone to talk to, but are unsure of who.
After walking away, I cannot say I felt he was some politician. I can say that I was astonished by his pragmatism and his sincere concern for the students and other members of our community he is charged with protecting.
The crime is under investigation by HPD Homicide. The fact that it occurred in a Metro Bus Stop gives HPD more jurisdiction, but another reason it was turned over is because we simply don’t have a homicide division at UH. The investigation is ongoing as a joint venture between UHPD and HPD. Now each of these forces has something to bring to the table. What Chief Davis would like to do is tap the UH student body for tips.
The occurrence was early in the morning, but there was light. There was a track event happening. Students jog on this campus every morning. People were setting up for the double header – this was a typical Saturday on our campus. That means that there had to be someone around.
Despite how a lot of people feel about running stories on murder in the manner The Daily Cougar did, Chief Davis asked for us to do what the press can do. He expressed to me his satisfaction with the writing and content of the stories. He said coverage like this could help to bring in tips from people who may not have spoken up earlier.
Fellow Cougars, if you have any information about what happened Saturday, no matter how insignificant it might seem, please touch base with UHPD. Sometimes the silliest little lead can crack a case wide open. Any information is good information, you are not wasting their time, it is not a silly little thing, and anything might help bring this man’s killer to justice. If we want our campus to be safe we must trust our police force and assist them whenever we can.’ ‘
Abdul Khan is a political science senior and may be reached at [email protected].
