6.25.2007

man kills wife and kids over financial problems

Last week in Berkeley, Kevin Morrissey shot and killed his wife, Dr. Mamiko Kawai, and their two children before turning the gun himself: Dad kills family, self, cops say. His suicide note apparently described difficulties ("a financial breaking point") at the family's East Bay skin-care clinic.

Whenever I hear about these family murder-suicide tragedies, my first thought is always, there had to be a better way. I don't care what kind of financial straits you're in, or even deep struggles with mental health... there just had to be a better way of dealing with the situation. I know I'm oversimplifying things, and I'm sorry if I sound insensitive, but killing yourself and taking your family with you should never be an appropriate option. My second thought is how selfish such an act is. To kill yourself is one thing, and tragic. But to take your family with you? Your young children? An extremely selfish act, and it makes me angry. More on this tragedy here: Man who killed family described as grim

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