Political Gumbo: The True Tragedy of That Police Video

I was going to write a column about the dangers of conspiracies after seeing the police video released by the City on Monday. But something kept nagging at me, so I took another look.

And when I did, it was easy to put aside the claims of a conspiracy and racial narratives.

The pain exhibited by Carlos Towns and his younger brother, who lost their father in January, is tragic and heartbreaking.

Charles Robert Towns, 47, was fatally shot by deputies in Altadena after he allegedly attacked and injured two residents with a sharp metal object.

His sons – Carlos Towns and a minor identified CT3 – were involved in a family altercation about a month later on Marengo Avenue and Walnut Street just up the street from the police station.

They need help.

As the video clearly shows, the brothers are now grappling with anger issues.

Over and over, the brothers tell police their father was just killed by deputies in Altadena.

They cuss, yell and lash out.

At one point Carlos Towns even talks about his younger brother’s anger issues.

“My father just got killed by Altadena sheriff’s. So he’s not on no police thing. He don’t like y’all right now.”

All they see is the badge. And the people who killed their father wore a badge.

And without help, that anger could last a lifetime and ruin their lives.

I recognize that anger.

I lost my father when I was just 10 years old in a horrific incident.

No, he wasn’t killed by police, but either way I was a child without his hero.

He was there that morning and gone forever that night.

Four days after he died I turned 11 and I was mad at the world.

It wasn’t just about that loss, it was about life being unfair.

I was lucky, I had a good support group – a mom that wasn’t scared to raise a Black man – she raised four – it doesn’t get any tougher.

Older brothers, younger sister, cousins, teachers, comic books, books, TV and childhood naivety – all of it helped some.

Now mind you this was 1975, Black people didn’t seek therapy then.

Still I escaped the darkness. I was lucky.

We need to do more than just scrutinize the actions of the police in this incident.

We need to consider what the young men need.

With all the talk of mental health awareness by the LA County Board of Supervisors and the City Council, we have the resources.

But who will show up for these young men?

Somebody better.