Re: “West Webster coverage: too much?”

I was hoping to see an editorial from City News about the Webster shootings. I was appalled to see only one paragraph about this tragedy.

With all due respect to those who have taken a moment to share their opinions, several of which I agree, people grieve in different ways. Many of us are trying to make sense of something that makes no sense. While the Newtown shooting may have touched a few of us, the Webster shootings touched thousands of us, both directly and by varying degrees of separation.

I had a connection to Tomasz Kaczoka, attended the calling hours, funeral, and spent time on Christmas day and New Year's Eve with the firefighters at the West Webster Fire Department.

I think Ms. Fien's comment is a bit callous and extremely disrespectful to Tomasz Kackzowka, Mike Chiapperini, their families, friends, and co-workers, especially by comparing their deaths to the number of Rochester's homicides over the past decade.

I ask this: Of those 400 homicides, how many of them were people who dedicate their lives to protecting the lives of others? How many of them were killed on Christmas Eve? How many of them set the new precedent of luring a firefighter, only to be murdered, while trying to protect the lives of people like you and me?

Ms. Fien, do you realize that no firefighter has ever been shot in the line of duty? Do you realize the danger that this event has the power to become? The idea of mentally disturbed men with assault weapons, as they try to out-do each other, in what is turning into some insane spitting contest to see who can out-do the last shooter before offing themselves, is frightening!

In closing, I would like to urge Ms. Fien and Mr. Rezsnyak to consider the possibility that this is about both the mourners, AND the mourned. More than that, it is about grieving and an outpouring of support, sympathy and empathy; the likes of which I have never seen first hand.