Editorial: Many hurting during week of tragedy

If you’re reading this on the morning of Sunday, April 6, it was a week ago that New Bern Police Officer Alexander Thalmann lay in a hospital, fighting for his life, and just six days after death overtook him. 

If you’re reading this on the morning of Sunday, April 6, it was a week ago that New Bern Police Officer Alexander Thalmann lay in a hospital, fighting for his life, and just six days after death overtook him. 

Just 22 years old, Thalmann dedicated his life to protecting his country (as a Marine Corps reservist) and the citizens of a town he didn’t even live in, New Bern. 

Going about our days, we run into New Bern workers constantly, repairing and maintaining streets, keeping the lights on and the water running, protecting our property and yes, most importantly, protecting our lives. 

We don’t think of those jobs as life threatening, but as was just demonstrated, they are. 

As befitting the sacrifice Officer Thalmann made, police from all around converged on New Bern for his funeral, and citizens came out to pay their respects, too.  And they were honoring not only Officer Thalmann, but the officers, firefighters and city workers who put their lives on the line every day to keep New Bern safe. 

The ceremonies — the wreath presentation at New Bern Police Headquarters, the evening vigil in Washington, N.C. (Officer Thalmann’s hometown), the memorial service at Temple Baptist Church in New Bern, and the graveside service in Washington — were somber, respectful and fitting. 

The week was not without problems, which ought to be expected when those involved in the planning are shocked and grieving. 

Let us not forget that Officer Thalmann was not the only victim of Bryan Stallings.  Officer Justin Wester was shot through his leg, but survived and is recovering. 

And there are other victims.  There was Thalmann’s mother and family, Wester’s family, and their colleagues at the New Bern Police Department and at City Hall. 

And there was Stallings’ family and friends, who should not be counted among the guilty and who should not be treated as such. 

There were attempts by some aldermen and Mayor Dana Outlaw to reach out to the Stallings family that were wrongly interpreted as being in support of Bryan Stallings and his evil actions. 

The city’s response in the aftermath of Thalmann’s death was imperfect, but no one prepares for such a tragedy and there are many who need comforting in such times on all sides. 

It is sad that, because he reached out to the Stallings family during that funeral, Mayor Outlaw’s role was suddenly reduced at Officer Thalmann’s funeral.  The mayor’s reduced role, with an interim city manager standing in for him, will not sit well in the history books. 

We believe that Officer Thalmann, who gave his life to public service, would have wanted us all to learn, live, forgive, and recognize that everyone was doing the best they could during a dreadful time.