Like so many of you, I have been following the shocking news of the two shootings today (Sunday) in Colorado. The first shooting took place at the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) training center in Arvada, Colorado, when a gunman killed two staff members, early Sunday after being told he couldn't spend the night. A statement from YWAM said the deceased were Tiffany Johnson, 26, from Minnesota, and Philip Crouse, 24, from Alaska. Both served as staff members at the YWAM Arvada campus. The third victim, Dan Griebenow, 24, has a bullet in his neck and is listed in critical but stable condition. The fourth victim Charlie Blanch, 22, suffered gunshot wounds to his legs.

Understanding when the use of force is appropriate and what level of force can be applied is critical to both the police officer and the private security officer. The following chart is from the Ohio Police Officer Training Academy. Earlier stated differences in the concepts of excessive and reasonable force do not help the average layperson or officer remove the ambiguity in the meanings of these phrases. Because it is not possible to specify the appropriate police response to every given situation, police department trainers and academics have developed numerous ways to conceptualize the escalation of police force.

Can we take the lessons learned in blood and lives at Columbine and the World Trade Center and apply them so we'll never take this [path] again, or do we have to wait until our kids die?" - Lt. Col. Dave Grossman One place where leaders made a conscious choice not to wait until their kids die was New Life Church in Colorado Springs, CO. The story of concealed handgun license-holder and New Life Church member Jeanne Assam's brave actions to stop a murderous rampage killer when he stormed onto the church campus on that December Sunday morning won't soon be forgotten. The national syndicated radio station KLOVE has posted an interview with New Life Senior Pastor Brady Boyd on the station's website.

Armed men driving an innocent-seeming vehicle have robbed several people in the Riverside area. Police said a trio of crooks has been catching its victims off guard by traveling in a vehicle labeled "Church Van." Read the full story

SEATTLE - Two people were wounded Saturday in a shooting at Seattle Center, where the Northwest Folklife Festival was taking place. An adult man was quickly taken into custody, police said. The shooting occurred shortly after 6:30 p.m. as thousands of people were enjoying the warm sunshine at the annual festival. Both victims were taken to [...]