I was absolutely stunned by a recent letter to the editor (“Poor planning made a bad situation worse,” Aug. 28) that seemed to treat the tragic death of Erin Hayne as little more than a nuisance to someone’s commute. The writer, concerned only with being inconvenienced by the closure of Route 302, had the audacity to express frustration over traffic delays — while a human being, Erin Hayne, was murdered on that very same road.

It’s one thing to be inconvenienced by road closures, but to reduce someone’s life to a mere inconvenience, to callously dismiss the suffering of the victim and their family, is unfathomable. Erin was not just “someone who got shot” — he was a person. A son, a friend, a brother, a father and no doubt much more to those who knew him. Erin’s life mattered far more than a traffic jam.

It is deeply disturbing that someone would write such a detached, cold letter in the wake of such a senseless tragedy. To express more concern for the writer’s commute than for the loss of life is a reflection of a disturbing lack of empathy. I don’t care where he’s from, this kind of callous disregard for the humanity of others is nothing short of vile.

Let us remember that behind every headline, every news story and every police report, there are people whose lives have been shattered. Erin Hayne’s life was stolen, and it’s time we start showing the respect and compassion that every human being deserves, no matter what the circumstances.

Eric Lusty
York