Disturbing weekend
By Patrick Kelley
Originally published 01:28 p.m., June 24, 2008
Updated 01:28 p.m., June 24, 2008
IT WAS SUCH a nice weekend in Emporia. The weather was fine, for a change — warm and dry enough for picnics, swimming and fishing. People who could afford a tank of gas could drive to Council Grove for Wah-Shun-Gah days or to the Tallgrass Preserve for any of the many weekend activities there.
But some people decided to make their own fun, and it wasn’t fun at all.
Saturday night, someone broke into the David Traylor Zoo and killed two black swans and two geese. The bird killers also injured some other birds and broke some flower containers.
Why would anybody want to kill harmless animals penned up in a zoo? The combination of cruelty and stupidity is disturbing. It is also frightening. People who could do that may well be working themselves up to begin to harm people.
But the zoo attack was not the only bad news of the weekend. Police reported two cases of arson. Outbuildings in the city were torched Saturday night and Sunday night.
Arson is another crime that can lead to bigger, worse things. Nobody was hurt in either weekend fire, but with fire, that is always a matter of luck. All it takes is can of gasoline, some bottles of solvent or cans of old paint tucked back in a corner of the building and a nuisance fire can quickly become a deadly one.
Any chance the zoo killers and the shed burners are the same people? Of course it is possible, but police have said nothing to indicate they think so.
The crimes were committed by people who are engaging in dangerous behavior. The community will be safer if those people are caught.
Anyone who has information about any of the crimes but is reluctant to go to police should think again. Talking to the police is the best thing you can do for the community and for the people involved in the crimes.
If you have information, call the police at 343-4200 or Crime Stoppers at 342-2273.
Do not wait until more more buildings burn or more animals die.
Patrick S. Kelley
Editorial Page Editor
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