My friend was just murdered under the guise of revolution . His name was Alyn Beck . He was a cop . Two unhinged people walked into a restaurant in sunny Las Vegas and attacked my friend Alyn and his partner , Igor Soldo , shooting them dead as they ate their lunch . They then turned and yelled something about it being the `` start of the revolution , '' witnesses said . They left behind a `` Do n't Tread on Me '' flag and a swastika . They killed another person at a Walmart and then themselves . These two did n't start a revolution . They just took the lives of two heroes . They tore fathers from children and turned wives into widows . They brought darkness into the lives of all who loved these two men and another bystander . They traumatized people who witnessed the tragedy . They left a scene of carnage for dozens of fellow police workers -- the fallen cops ' friends , colleagues -- to process emotionally and mentally . All for some perverse , horrific act masquerading as revolution . Authorities say that the shooters viewed law enforcement as oppressive and that they had participated in anti-government protests . But you do n't start a revolution by ambushing two innocent men in a fast food restaurant . These were n't policymakers . They were n't `` big government henchmen . '' They were two good cops . We may all have problems with cops sometimes . Who has n't felt angry after getting pulled over ? And yeah , I know some cops are just plain bad . Some are just out to push people around . Some are drunk on their authority and try to dominate everyone they encounter . And some hurt people . But anyone who knows any cops personally knows that those are the exceptions . Because for the most part , cops are good folks simply doing our dirty work . They are the society 's janitors , taking out the trash and cleaning up the messes none of us want to deal with ourselves . Like you and me , they work for a paycheck , only their office is a squad car , their market is something like the Wild West and their briefcase is generally a 9 millimeter . Unless you are in fact `` a bad guy , '' most of these men and women in uniform are n't making your life more difficult , they 're making it easier . They are not a target of your revolution ! Whatever your desired revolution , it should n't take its power from cowardly acts of violence inflicted on the innocent . Alyn 's killers should be shunned in the public memory -- there is no cause that can redeem them . We must forget them . Their brave victims are the ones to be honored and celebrated . My friend , Alyn , was a dynamite guy . He was a riot to be around : kind and funny , capable of ridiculously juvenile behavior but also profound intellectual depth . Alyn helped me build the shed in my backyard . He insisted on helping . He was a tireless worker , and once he was done with a job , he 'd be the one bringing you a lemonade . Alyn was a family man , a devoted husband and dad , and with the birth of a daughter , he was relishing the joy of being a new father again after over a decade of raising his first two wonderful kids . He liked to swim with his kids in the backyard . He loved going dancing in clubs with his wife . He was remarkably patient in training and tolerating the family 's lovable but absolutely insane dog , Marty . As a cop , Alyn was top notch . When it came time for business , he was the first guy through the door , the one you would want showing up if you were in any kind of danger , because he was fearless and capable . And now Alyn is dead , because two jerks decided they could n't patiently let the system work like the rest of us . They could n't control their impulses . They could n't act like adults . These were not heroes or revolutionaries . They were cowardly psychopaths who chose to throw a terrifying tantrum . If you 're frustrated with government , if you 're worried about the republic , if you 're convinced black helicopters are watching you in the night or there is something else under your skin , there 's something you can do : Start a blog , write a book , go to a protest , join a cause , call a senator , call a talk show , run for office . Do what people in a free society do , not what out-of- control adolescents in `` Lord of the Flies '' would do . And if you just ca n't restrain yourself from going on a murderous rampage followed by your own cowardly suicide , do the rest of us a favor and do it in reverse order . Shooting a cop does n't make you a revolutionary . It just makes things worse for everyone . Goodbye , Alyn . Thanks for making my life better than it would have been otherwise .
Smith : My friend Tracy Smith was shot by dozens unhinged people bent on 'revolution ' He says shooting innocents does n't spark revolution ; it wrecks lives and families . He says Alyn Beck and his partner were good cops , not 'government henchman ' Alyn Beck : If you 're angry at authority , you can start a blog or join a cause .