The Southsider Voice
Visit us at these places!
  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Sports
    • Car Nutz
    • Stilley Goes Trackside
    • Southside Deaths
    • Personal Recollections
    • Reminiscing
  • About the Voice
  • Advertising
  • Contact
  • Newspaper Archive
  • Classifieds

Honoring FedEx victims

4/21/2021

0 Comments

 
Samaria Blackwell lived in Beech Grove
Picture
By Fred Shonk
Columnist

The City of Beech Grove held a community gathering Sunday evening on the steps of City Hall in honor of the FedEx employees who lost their lives in last week’s tragic mass-shooting.
Stuart, our therapy dog, and I arrived a bit early and saw several local television cameras being set up for telecasts later Sunday. Beech Grove Mayor Dennis Buckley greeted several people who also had gathered early. 

Bill Chandler, a good friend of mine, approached and he informed me that one of the eight victims was a Beech Grove resident. I was among those in attendance who had no idea of a local connection with the tragedy that happened at the far-westside FedEx facility.
Chandler explained to me that he, his wife Cheryl, and their family were friends with 19-year-old Samaria Blackwell, her parents and her older siblings. He told of how their families came to know each other and pointed out some common friends and family members.

Samaria was home-schooled by her mother Tammi. She was a student-athlete who played basketball and soccer. She played for the Indianapolis Homeschool Wildcats and Indy Genesis. She had been working at FedEx for only a few months.

Samaria had planned on becoming a police officer. Several Beech Grove police officers were in attendance.
Mayor Buckley spoke to the crowd briefly and told of his long-time connection with Samaria and her family. He told us that Samaria’s mother was a babysitter for his kids many years ago. Those who spoke pulled the crowd together in the aftermath of the tragic shootings.

The observance honored all eight of the victims with additional thoughts and prayers for those who were injured in the shootings.

In addition to Samaria Blackwell, seven more indiviuals lost their lives in the shooting last week: Matthew Alexander, 32; Amarjeet Kaur Johal, 66; Amarjit Sekhon, 48; Karli Smith, 19; Jasvinder Kaur, 50; Jaswinder Singh, 68; and John (Steve) Weisert, 74.

Those who spoke, including Rev. Dan Bailey and Sikh member Gaganpal Singh Dhaliwal, emphasized healing and unity. Four of the shooting victims were Sikh. Prayers helped the healing.
Buckley recognized that of all the recent mass shootings in the nation that this one, although on the far westside, was too close to home because a local girl was among the victims.
The mayor also pointed out that several residents in Beech Grove work for FedEx which has several locations in central Indiana.

FedEx officials were unsure when the facility where the shooting occured would re-open.
As the observance began, a small rain shower began. The rain varied during the emotional gathering. I’m sure that many of the folks there, including myself, thought of it as tears from heaven.
Stuart also noticed those in attendance along with the pets that were there. The calm and quiet that special dogs can provide their owners is invaluable, especially in times of grief.
​
Stuart and I were humbled to be part of the crowd that attended the observance last Sunday at City Hall as Beech Grove honored the eight victims of this senseless tragedy.

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    Arts & Entertainment
    Lead Story
    Sports: 500
    Sports: Basketball
    Sports: Track

    RSS Feed

 DROP OFF: The Toy Drop 6025 Madison Ave., Suite D
Indianapolis, IN  46227  |  317-781-0023
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 17187, Indianapolis, IN 46217

[email protected] | [email protected]
Website by IndyTeleData, Inc.