12.02
Another high profile shooting puts Walker County (and state gun laws) in the spotlight.
Early Wednesday morning an Ooletewah man staying in Chickamauga with a girlfriend shot and killed an elderly mute alzheimer’s sufferer who was knocking on the door, or (varying accounts) approaching the man in the home’s back yard. The man killed was identified as retired LaFayette Airport manager Ronald Westbrook.
Sheriff Wilson said the case appears to be self-defense, but many have questioned the shooter’s decision to go outside and confront Westbrook instead of waiting on deputies. (Some have also questioned why a deputy who spoke with Westbrook earlier in the night didn’t realize he was lost.) The GBI has taken a role in investigating the crime, which still could result in charges filed against the Tennessee resident who pulled the trigger a total of four times.
The Westbrook shooting quickly became international news, covered on Fox News, Britain’s Daily Mail, and other media outlets around the globe. The tragic incident could become proverbial gas on the political fire over self-defense laws, attracting attention from gun rights opponents looking to make legal headway against controversial “stand your ground” self defense laws:
Rainbow Push, a group organized by Rev. Jesse Jackson, said they will be contacting the Westbrook family about joining an existing lawsuit filed against Georgia’s Stand Your Ground laws back in October. But so far there’s no indication that these laws will be cited in the Westbrook case. The shooter won’t be making any defense at all if he’s never charged, and so far it looks like he won’t be.
Services for Mr. Westbrook will be held Tuesday afternoon at Lane Funeral Home in Rossville. Family will also have visitation on Monday in the same place. Family has requested donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in Westbrook’s memory.
Tomorrow is final election day for the LaFayette City Council Ward 1 runoff. Candidates are Beacher Garmany and Robert Wardlaw; voting will be at City Hall, polls will be open 7 AM to 7 PM.
According to reports, Hutcheson hospital only received two bids from potential managing lease partners/purchasers: Erlanger and “Liberty Health.” But the hospital only followed up on the offer from Erlanger. Seems like they don’t have much room to be picky, and everything hospital leaders are saying now feels like false optimism.
As noted last week, Commissioner Heiskell promised the “remaining independent” hospital another $2 million loan – but only if Catoosa or Dade would also back it up. Dade hasn’t helped with any HMC loans, and now Catoosa County commissioners have refused to call a special meeting to discuss it. That could mean Walker County is alone on this one, and Heiskell will have to decide if we can afford to handle the whole thing or let HMC miss a payroll, which would be an absolute disaster.
Even if Walker County DOES decide to front HMC another $2 million loan, what happens when that money is gone? Or the loan after that? This can’t keep going on forever, and may be the point where Bebe joins Catoosa and Dade in pulling the plug. If that happens, Hutcheson could very well be closed by Christmas.
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