The Hawthorne Police Department (HPD) has failed a 17 month old toddler, their mother, father and entire family.
When you walk up to any local police station, they are usually designated as a “safe zone”. A place where you can meet to complete an online purchase, give a police report and exchange your child for visitation rights.
Related: Woman Dead, Suspect in Custody Following Shooting Near Hawthorne Police Department
Yesterday we learned the presumed “safe zone” is nothing of the sort. Somehow a troubled father felt “safe” enough at the station, to shoot his child’s mother to death, in front of their child and her family.
This disturbing incident should cause a bigger discussion to take place on whether police stations should be alerted to child custody exchanges and more importantly, should officers be in the lobby, physically standing guard, while the exchange is taking place?
The fact that the father managed to produce a shotgun, and shoot his child’s mother, then drive away, shows Hawthorne officers were unaware of the argument between the mother and father and oblivious to the shot gun in his hands. The station is outfitted with exterior and interior cameras that perhaps no one was paying attention to.
Hawthorne Mayor Alex Vargas has yet to give any statements on the matter. News reports showed Hawthorne PD took the lead and responded to media requests. We need more of that in Inglewood.
