The Mickey Shunick Story

[BUGG]

I ride my bike in the same area (typically about the same route.) And because of the summer heat and because I'm usually too busy during the day I usually ride late at night as well. Even at a late hour you'll see lots of bike riders, walkers, and runners during a ride. Even with what happened with Mickey that area is safe. And I really don't think it was crazy for her to ride her bike through a really safe neighborhood with a can of mace in her pocket late at night. She just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when a very bad man happened to be driving by.

If Mickey hadn't rode her bike home that night Brandon Lavergne wouldn't have stopped. He would would have continued to look for another victim. And eventually he would have found some other girl who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time just like Mickey. And then everyone would be talking about how that girl was crazy to go running in a neighborhood/leave her drink unattended at a bar/stop and help a motorist on the side of the road, etc.

Everything we do in life is a risk. The risk of dying in a car accident is pretty damn high but that's a risk we are all willing to take. The risk of getting heart disease from eating bad food is even higher but almost all of us do it anyway. Mickey definitely took a risk by riding her bike home. But it wasn't any more outrageous than the risks I mention above.

+1

[CajunRed]

Avoid risks that are reasonably avoidable.

[CharlieK]

I ride my bike in the same area (typically about the same route.) And because of the summer heat and because I'm usually too busy during the day I usually ride late at night as well. Even at a late hour you'll see lots of bike riders, walkers, and runners during a ride. Even with what happened with Mickey that area is safe. And I really don't think it was crazy for her to ride her bike through a really safe neighborhood with a can of mace in her pocket late at night. She just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when a very bad man happened to be driving by.

If Mickey hadn't rode her bike home that night Brandon Lavergne wouldn't have stopped. He would would have continued to look for another victim. And eventually he would have found some other girl who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time just like Mickey. And then everyone would be talking about how that girl was crazy to go running in a neighborhood/leave her drink unattended at a bar/stop and help a motorist on the side of the road, etc.

Everything we do in life is a risk. The risk of dying in a car accident is pretty damn high but that's a risk we are all willing to take. The risk of getting heart disease from eating bad food is even higher but almost all of us do it anyway. Mickey definitely took a risk by riding her bike home. But it wasn't any more outrageous than the risks I mention above.

Understand the point you are trying to make, but a pretty girl riding her bike alone at 1 am through a fairly big city is not on par with normal every day risks. By the logic of your post life is dangerous, so I should just leave my windows open at night, not wear a seatbelt, etc etc.....I mean life's dangerous, right.

As a parent (hell as a human) my heart aches for this girl and her family. Her killer bears the responsibility for what happened, but we shouldn't kid ourselves, what she did was foolish and unreasonably risky. She certainly didn't deserve to die from it, and at her age especially I took many much more dangerous risks and was lucky not to pay the price she has. That doesn't make it ok.

I am praying her family can find peace and that her killer is truly brought to justice.

[CajunRebel]

Avoid risks that are reasonably avoidable.

Here is a short list of risks that are reasonably avoidable.

Flying in an airplane
Eating fast food
Riding in a boat
Driving over 35mph
Driving to a vacation spot
Swimming
Hiking
Going to a bar
Waterskiing
Eating meat
Riding ATVs, Dirtbikes, or Mororcycles
Moderate physical activity
Riding a bike at night
Playing football
Drinking alcohol
Hunting

Which of these are we supposed to avoid in your opinion?

[CharlieK]

N/M

[Just1More]

N/M

Don't worry... you are correct.

[CajunRed]

Here is a short list of risks that are reasonably avoidable.

Flying in an airplane
Eating fast food
Riding in a boat
Driving over 35mph
Driving to a vacation spot
Swimming
Hiking
Going to a bar
Waterskiing
Eating meat
Riding ATVs, Dirtbikes, or Mororcycles
Moderate physical activity
Riding a bike at night
Playing football
Drinking alcohol
Hunting

Which of these are we supposed to avoid in your opinion?

Being alone on a city street at 2:00 in the morning.

[CajunRebel]

Understand the point you are trying to make, but a pretty girl riding her bike alone at 1 am through a fairly big city is not on par with normal every day risks. By the logic of your post life is dangerous, so I should just leave my windows open at night, not wear a seatbelt, etc etc.....I mean life's dangerous, right.

I'm saying you have the right to take any risk you so choose. You might know that leaving your windows open at night is more risky than if they were closed. And if you live in a good neighborhood it's a very small risk. But if its a nice night outside and you want to take that risk then its your choice. And if the 1-1,000,000 scenario comes true and a murder comes in your window then you live with the tragic consequences. But it was far from a reckless decision and it certainly wasn't your fault that you got murdered. It was just a small risk on your part that had a really unlucky outcome.

When a motorcycle rider dies in a crash people don't come out and say things like "that guy had no business riding a motorcycle." When a child drowns tragically in the ocean people don't say "that kid shouldn't have been in the ocean." And it's unfair to say that Mickey shouldn't have been riding her bike at night. She took a small risk and she was really unlucky.

[CajunRebel]

Being alone on a city street at 2:00 in the morning.

That's the only unnecissary risk? It was a serious question BTW. How do you determine what unnecessary risks are okay and which ones aren't?

[CharlieK]

Don't worry... you are correct.

I know just decided not a topic I wanted to get into a back and forth over.

If this guy wants to think taking an airplane ride is on par with a tiny girl riding her bike alone at the witching hour then nothing I'm going to say is gonna convince him otherwise.

Sure I take plane fights, but I wouldn't fly in an ice storm. I drive a car, but I wouldn't drive at night through the ninth ward. I ride in a boat, but I wouldn't do it in a hurricane. And so on.

[axg8750]

I wonder if this guy ever spent time in Jennings?

I believe those killings began while this guy was still in prison for his first sex crime.

Mickey's family deserves an explaination from The DA that cut a deal with this sicko for his first charge. He was originally charged with rape and cut a deal to get a shorter sentence. There should be no deals ever with sex offenders. If someone can commit rape they certainly are not above murder. This is a prime example.

[CajunRed]

That's the only unnecissary risk? It was a serious question BTW. How do you determine what unnecessary risks are okay and which ones aren't?

Some risks are part of life and considered worth it for what is gained. Others...at least to me...are easier to avoid and NOT worth it when considering the reward. If you couldn't pick this one out of your list on your own, then I can't help you make such choices.