Life is very fleeting. We are taught that no one of knows the time that our existence will end on this earth. Last week 44-year-old Mun Hyuk Cha, a kind, hard-working businessman, and 39-year-old Otonicar Jimquez Aikens, a father and customer of his, were probably discussing the weather or some sports score or sharing pleasantries about their families when Jeffery Pitts, apparently a disgruntled customer, decided to end their lives.

There was a time in this country when if a customer was upset he or she just never came back to your business. Mr. Pitts apparently decided that he wasn’t happy with that after a confrontation in the store he went home loaded up his guns, drove back to the Magnet package store and took out his displeasure in a bloody life-ending vengeful way, and then went home where he lived with his parents and shot and injured his mother and father. 

Out of this tragic story, two positive things happened. Another customer in the store, Todd Scott, instead of cowering away and not getting involved, fired back at Pitts with his own gun. If he hadn’t gotten involved there is no telling how many other people, including our law enforcement people, he might have gunned down.

Mr Scott didn’t intend to become a hero but he became one, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude for his action on this sad day.

Other heroes on that sad day were RCSO deputies and Conyers Police officers who because of their actions saved possibly many lives.

And the customers, neighbors and community of the Magnet package store proved without question that we have a very caring, strong community that takes care of its own. They came out in droves to support the family of Mr. Cha and Mr. Aikens.

There were tears aplenty as folks hugged Mr. Cha’s parents who flew in from Korea to mourn their son. There was a collection made to be split with the two families and the Cha family  gave their share to Jimquez Aiken’s 15-year-old daughter, another special sign of love in itself.

We are sorry that there are apparent sick people like Jeffery Pitts in our community, we are grateful that we have good people like Mun Cha and Jimquez Aikens and Todd Scott in our community.

We all have to keep praying that good guys will always outnumber the bad guys in our community.

To the Cha and Aikens family we are sure that the whole community has your families in their special thoughts and prayers.