While everyone may be a little bit on guard due to the restrictions in place, violence is never the answer. A security guard for a Family Dollar store in Michigan was shot to death in a senseless act that people still can't understand. All he did was require a customer to wear a mask before entering the store.
Calvin Munerlyn, a father and stepfather of eight children, just wanted to follow orders set up by his state's governor. Instead, he ended up losing his life. It all started when he told a customer's daughter that she couldn't walk into the store without a protective mask. This rule has become common in most states. Even if you don't have the symptoms of the virus, you may still be a carrier — thus it's a good method of protection.
While N95 masks are hard to find, all residents need to do is have a proper cotton covering. The N95 model should be reserved for those working in hospitals or on the front lines. Plenty of people have been making and donating masks for others to use, meaning they aren't that difficult to find. Granted, it's a frustrating situation. However, the family didn't respond in an appropriate way.
According to reports, Sharmel Teague, who was wearing a mask, entered the store with her daughter. After being told she couldn't enter, her daughter went back to the car. Instead of getting her purchases and heading out, Sharmel decided to give Calvin an earful. According to BuzzFeed, she even spit on him.
Based on that disgraceful act, Calvin rightfully told the staff not to serve Sharmel. Based on the spitting incident, Sharmel was considered a threat. As expected, this wasn't the answer she was looking for. She left the store but reportedly came back soon with her husband and son — Larry Teague and Ramonyea Bishop.
This was when things got violent. "Witnesses on the scene said they saw two black males enter the store wearing dark clothing," Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Monday, according to Detroit News. "One of them started yelling at Mr. Munerlyn about disrespecting his wife. The other black male walks up and shoots Mr. Munerlyn. Witnesses identified Bishop as the shooter."
Not only is it tragic that a good man's life was ended prematurely due to an overreaction, but it's also a shame for the other customers who had to witness it. Seeing something so terrifying will last with you forever. Ramonyea, Larry, and Sharmel all have pending first-degree murder charges.
"From all indications, Mr. Munerlyn was simply doing his job in upholding the governor's executive order related to the COVID-19 pandemic for the safety of store employees and customers," David Leyton added. Currently, Larry and Ramonyea are both at large. Sharmel is in custody.
Calvin had a very rich home life outside of his job. He had many kids to call his own, and friends recall him as being a kind soul. "This really broke my heart," said Bryant Nolden, a Genesee County commissioner and director of Berston Field House. The two had been friendly for some time, working together on occasion.
"He would come in three or four times a week and he'd train anyone who wanted to be trained for free," he said. "We have a senior dance, and he'd come and dance with the seniors." Bryant commented that Calvin was a true asset to the community.
"He didn't bother a soul. All he wanted was to take care of his family," he said. "This is a loss for the community, and for me as an individual." The whole incident makes you really stop and think of the world right now. While nobody should have brought a gun into the Dollar Store, it's hard to wonder whether or not this senseless act of rage would have happened just a few months ago.
It's very common for people to feel frustrated — their whole lives have been overturned. Many people are out of work, and plenty of people are giving up on social distancing since they believe that this virus is only as powerful as the flu. Science has proven that to be false — and there's still a lot about the virus that doctors and scientists are still trying to figure out.
Checking on your mental illness is also important. It's possible that Larry and his family had just overcome a series of bad news, and being confronted about the mask was just the breaking point. It's hard to try to figure out such a terrible crime, since it never should have happened in the first place.
Calvin went into work that day trying his hardest to keep his coworkers and his store safe. And he paid the ultimate price because someone who wasn't even there to hear the talk and see what happened decided to get payback. Calvin was nicknamed "Duper," short for "Super Duper," and his friends have already set up a GoFundMe campaign to financially help his family.
"Duper was a hard-working, father and husband who lost his life while doing his job securing the place of business and asking all customers to wear a mask for our own safety as well as others," organizer Courtney Ce Ce Cabine wrote. "He leaves behind 8 amazing kids, a super loving wife, & his wonderful mother."
Calvin was a true professional. He had been at Family Dollar for a little under a year, but he had reportedly worked in security for two decades. It's a tough job, but nobody would have expected an incident like this to take place — especially for a rule that's mandatory statewide.
One of the most heartbreaking statements about what happened came from Calvin's mother. "They didn't have to take my baby," she said to MLive, per CBS News. "All you people just have to do is listen to the law, listen to the governor. Just stay home. If you don't have to come out, then you wouldn't need a mask unless you're out getting groceries or necessities. All my baby was doing was his job working and doing his job."
