Today was planned to be a fun day for me. Relatives were visiting from out of town and we were driving to my sister’s house to visit with her and her family. As we were driving southbound we saw dozens of law enforcement vehicles heading in the other directions with sirens going. I knew it could not be good, but I had no idea just how bad it was.

An obituary has been added

Quoting from the Modesto Bee

A sheriff’s deputy and another man trying to serve an eviction notice at an apartment complex were shot dead Thursday by a man who holed up and was surrounded by a battalion of SWAT teams.

The standoff, still under way late in the afternoon, began right after the shootings occurred about 11 a.m. Dozens of neighbors were evacuated to a nearby church.

A man who lives nearby and did not give his name said the deputy and the man with him apparently were drilling through the lock on the apartment door in the 2100 block of Chrysler Drive when the suspect fired at them from inside

The standoff continues at this hour and unconfirmed reports state the suspect may have gang affiliations.

Any death is a tragedy, the loss of a peace officer equally so. But for it to be over something like an eviction notice is beyond ridiculous.

A good friend of mine always reminds people that they should always take time to tell those they care about that they love them for you never know what the next day will bring.

May we all take his words to heart tonight.