Daily Lesson from Life 28 January 2009

"7 dead in LA murder-suicide - Wed, Jan 28, 2009 AFP

LOS ANGELES - A FATHER, apparently upset over the loss of his job, shot dead his wife and five young children before killing himself, police said on Tuesday.

A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokeswoman said the family of seven was found dead at a home in the suburb of Wilmington south of Los Angeles at around 8.30am. Police believe the man killed his family and then committed suicide. The identities of the dead have not been released.

LAPD Deputy Chief Ken Garner told KFWB radio police were originally contacted by a local television station, which apparently received a telephone call and a fax from a man saying he was going to kill his family and himself. Mr Garner said the fax indicated the man may have recently lost his job at a west Los Angeles hospital run by US health care group Kaiser Permanente.

'He was despondent over his job situation,' Mr Garner said. 'He was going through some critical situation at the job ... and that's what prompted him to take his own life and his family, from what was said in the fax letter.'
The dead included an eight-year-old girl, five-year-old twin girls and two-year-old twin boys.


A statement from Kaiser Permanente confirmed the dead man and his wife were former employees. 'Our sympathies are with all of their extended family and friends at this time,' the statement said. 'We are also providing resources and support to our employees who are affected by this tragedy.'

The Los Angeles region has seen several high-profile mass shootings in recent months. In December, a gunman dressed as Santa Claus stormed into the home of his former in-laws on Christmas Eve and opened fire on his ex-wife and her family before setting the house alight. Nine people were killed in the rampage before the gunman took his own life.

Last October, a 45-year-old man shot his wife, three children and mother-in-law before killing himself, reportedly because of financial woes.


After the latest killing, the LAPD's Garner urged people to use community programs and help lines if they are unable to cope with financial problems. 'That would be our hope - that people would seek that guidance, seek that assistance rather than taking this route, which is not the way to go,' Mr Garner said. 'It's clearly not the way to go.'"

A spate of suicide by billionaires and millionaires who lost their fortune following the Madoff's Ponzi scheme revelation and other financial ruins brought on by the financial tsunami were reported a few weeks ago. NOW the common people are also chipping in to write a bloody and deadly chapter on victims of financial woes!

Lessons for me are:

1. stress does not favour the rich nor the poor. It will take ALL prisoners if people subject themselves to it's tyranny!;

2. as I learned from the real tsunami originating from the earthquake off Indonesia a few years ago that killed 300k+ people around the coastal areas of Asia and South Asia, you MUST keep cool and stay alive to FIGHT another day! Money and properties and reputation are ruined but as long as you are alive, there is still hope and chance to rebuild!;

3. in the USA, due to some of the people's firm belief in the right to bear arms, more people are killed as it is easier to kill with a gun than with a knife in any untrained hands. I always wonder if certain situations would have been different if guns are banned or not so readily available to people in the USA?;

4. community help when one is in distress. Singapore advocates community help as one of the primary sources of help in time of difficulties. I am not sure how many really use it as it is very hard in an urbane society to develop 'closeness' even with neighbour not to mention community! A lot of work need to be done STILL.

It is a tragic loss as the children are innocent victims. None of them had a chance to live their lives properly. I just hope that traumatized parents and adults do keep in mind that when we cannot cope and wanted to go to the next world, it is okay to let society take care of them. It does not mean that if you don't make it, they can't!!

Finally, it must be aweful for whoever had to inform the deceased that he had been retrenched or laid off to find out that the trigger could have been pulled by him or her! Well, it is important to NOT feel that way. If you need psychological help, go seek it! Everyone has to take responsibility to handle bad bad news. You are not to blame unless there were other reasons!