“It’s really tragic that something like this happens.”

We couldn’t agree more with that sentiment from Wetzel County Sheriff James Hoskins about the apparent murder-suicide in Jacksonburg Sunday. We may never know all the details, but all indications are that it was of a domestic nature. There is never a reason for such violent actions in the face of a domestic crisis. Never.

Unfortunately domestic violence is not rare, just not usually as deadly as this week’s case. Did you know that in Wetzel County during the most recent one-year reporting period that 384 individuals sought assistance from the YWCA Family Violence Prevention Program? That’s more than one case every day!

Domestic violence is the most frequent reason for emergency room visits and it causes more deaths in the United States than gang violence.

That is tragic and unacceptable. If you are in a potentially dangerous domestic situation, please contact Wetzel County Stop Advocate Aimee Bowman at 304-455-6400 or abowman@ywcawheeling.org.

Stop the violence.