Being that I live in the Washington D.C. area, this story really scared the hell out of me when it was happening. I was sitting in carpool checking out Facebook, because what else is a bored mom to do. All of a sudden the news feeds starting updating with details about a high speed chase, and multiple gunshots around the Capitol building. I was shocked. Like many others, I immediately thought it was probably someone going off their rocker regarding the government shutdown.
Miriam Carey drove from Connecticut to D.C. with her one year old in the car, and wreaked havoc in the streets of our capitol. She used her car as a weapon, endangering herself, her child, and everyone else on the street. While I do not think she "deserved" to die, she brought this on herself.
Yes, I know she has a history of post-partum depression and was recently taken off her medication. But, there has to be some accountability here. If she was experiencing delusions, like her boyfriend said, why did no one help her? If she was actively expressing the thought that President Obama was stalking her, where was her help? How was she able to care for her child if she was that delusional?
I think the police did what they had to do. She was actively trying to ram into barricades and using her car as a weapon. It is a tragedy, yes, but the police served and protected. In the heat of the moment you react with what you know to do, what you are trained to do. The police are trained to stop that type of behavior any way possible, even if by force if no other method is working. People cannot go around trying to run people down, and ramming cars with children in them into barricades.
Her mental health is not important at that point in time. Certainly it is something that can lead to determining a motive later on, but in the heat of that moment there is no time to discern who this person is and what has led them to the dangerous behavior they are exhibiting.
So while it is tragic, I believe that the police did exactly what they had to regarding Miriam Carey.
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