Going out at night should not be something people are afraid to do. People should not have to worry about others shooting, breaking into cars or any other kind of crime, and the people that do those kinds of things should just stay home.

Over the last two months shooting has happened at two major events in Selma, the Barbecue on the Green and the Central Alabama Fair. It is unfortunate that someone would do such a thing at such great events that welcome our community out for a fun night with our families and friends.

Newly elected Mayor Darrio Melton was shot at while he was leaving the barbecue, and shots were fired at the fair Saturday night.

No one was hurt at the barbecue, but one person was shot and two others injured at the fair. Thankfully no one was seriously injured. There were hundreds of people at both events when shots rang out.

Sturdivant Hall and the Lion’s Club work so hard every year to put on these events, and to have something like this go on is a disgrace. They work too hard to have a few people do things to ruin it for everyone else. They don’t deserve it, and neither do the people that attend these events that do so much for the community like collecting food for the Christian Outreach Alliance and raising money to maintain a historic building.

Incidents like this happen everywhere, and it is unfortunate, but as human beings we cannot let them stop us from enjoying our lives.