Document text
Kindness of strangers: Vigil set for police shooting victim By Dani Dodge of the Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT -- People who never even knew Cole Smith -- a Philomath man shot to death by police after a standoff last week -- will come together Tuesday for a candlelight vigil to remember him. "Something had to be done here," said Denny Chancler, one of the organizers. "We are civilized people in this community and we would like his family to know we aren't all out here trying to create havoc for people." The vigil will be held from 8 to 10 p.m. Tuesday at the same place Smith was shot -- the Oregon State Police office, 4500 Rogue Valley Highway, Central Point. The community is invited, Chancler said. Candles will be provided. Smith's uncle, Tony Schrick of Loomis, Calif., said it is touching that the community would hold a vigil for his nephew. "He was loved and he had a family and that they recognize that, it's very thoughtful," Schrick said. "The tragedy is you guys are a long way away and it's hard for us to participate." Most of Smith's family lives in the Grass Valley area of California. Smith's widow lives closer but is having too difficult a time dealing with her grief to attend, Schrick said. "She chooses to cope and not be there," Schrick said. "I can respect her not wanting to open up those wounds or be in a situation where the grief would be even more hard for her." A spokeswoman at the Oregon State Police office said the vigil is OK as long as it doesn't interfere with work being done at the building. Cole Younger Smith, 25, was shot on Dec. 28 after verbally threatening officers and ramming a police car during a 90-minute standoff. Smith's family believes that if police had handled the situation better, Smith would still be alive. Smith was bipolar, suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and routinely sought out police when he needed to go to the hospital, his wife said. Chancler said he, too, believes that police may have mishandled the situation. But the Jacksonville man, who works as an equipment salesman, said that doesn't have anything to do with his desire to sponsor a vigil for someone he never knew. "This is for his wife and two daughters," Chancler said. "I can't even imagine the pain they are going through. "We just want to do what we can." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA