I was one of the ones who knew Cookie before this terrible tragedy took place. I thought he was one of the nicest people I have ever met. He snapped because he was pushed over the edge.

There is aplague in America of local corruption/ abuse of power.It is just ashame this did not take place in Florissant ,or Union, or ......While horrific local polititians need to step back,re-evaluate situtions?are we really government for the people by the people any longer?why weren't the people of Kirkwood screaming this man be jailed for non payment?where are the complaints from neighbors?

We do not feel what happened was the right way to handle any situation. We send our prays out to all the families that were affected through this sad incident. We the members of GCBC want to say we knew Cookie as a wonderful, loving and caring man. Who would do just about anything for anyone. He also touched the hearts of all of our children and mony others during his time with us. And who would have thought, throughout this sad moment, we would loose that person in a blink of an eye. The devil took over our dear brothers heart at that moment and changed all of our lives forever. Sorry, that this incident had to take place, but he will be truly missed within our hearts and minds as well as the other families that were involved. This justice system must take a closer look at who that have on staff and assure that they have the appropriate personnel as officials. No justice system should be that stern that they can't work out a situation without it becomeing a great disaster before your very eyes. Please believe that the Lord will always need to be in every decision before it become final if there is going to always be peace in any commuinity. May God Bless all of you!

Cookie was not a victim...he was not harassed! Cookie was selfish individual, and more importantly Cookie was breaking the law! He was not discriminated against. There is no reason to bring race into this to distort the picture. Cookie was breaking the law, and deserved his fines! When people build without license and park their commercial vehicles in front of others houses they are being inconsiderate and selfish, and in Kirkwood, breaking the law. Cookie didn't want to follow the rules...he wanted special treatment and threw the race card out there when he didn't get it! This was not about race...this was about a selfish, self-centered man, who threw temper tantrums when the city of Kirkwood enforced the laws of its community!

"Thou shall not kill." ...forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us... Cookie could not forgive but may those who fell victim to his violence find blessings in their forgiveness. In JESUS name we pray... AMEN.

I grew up in kirkwood, moved away after college when i was 24, and this doesnt surprise me. Yes the man went over the edge.But Kikwood is full OF RACISM. I always felt blacks and whites were divided. and that blacks were teated like they were inferior. So people who think there isnt a problem,need to wake up. Im just glad i decideded to live in lawrence kansas and not move back.

Mary Jane: I am glad you knew Cookie and believe he was a good man. His actions however undid all the good he may have done in his life. What a sad way to use one's life...If you have a neighbor who parked filthy construction vehicles outside of your house, crushing the value of your property and generally being a nuisance, you would want the city to deal with the owner. His neighbors might have even said something to Cookie. Cookie was wrong. The city tried to ease Cookie's burden. They agreed to drop the fines and tickets if Cookie would leave Kirkwood. These vehicles needed to be in an indrustrial zoned property. Thornton was a selfish man. He took advantage of his neighbors and then he took the life of 5 innocent people. He also destroyed the lives of his own family. Time to move on.

It was my pleasure to know Cookie Thronton and his wife, Maureen.I am sorry that circumstances led to this tradegy. He was a good man and should be remembered as such. God bless his family and the families of the other dead.

Seems to me he was a hero.

We can accept that Thornton's actions were those of a madman. His violence alone could not fan racial flames. If racial division now occurs, it is entirely the fault of anyone who fails to condemn the attack, let alone justify it.

I feel that the first comments by Annonymous were extremely well stated. Thornton's acts were abominable. It is evident by the published reports that he endured hard times due to his bankruptcy proceedings and interactions with officials in Kirkwood. By the pure nature of the number of citations he was issued, officials can argue that they were just doing there job." Some may attempt to label him as being a nut case. But, by all accounts, he was well-thought of by numerous individuals who knew him personally. He appears to have been a man who was pushed over the edge. However, it appears as if those in authority targeted him and wanted to put him in his place. African-Americans do not know how it is to be Caucasian and vice-versa.If you were to take race out of the equation, would Thornton had been treated the same? Individuals can say that they are color-blind, but unless they have been "medically-declared to be color-blind, it does not hold water.The healing process and the dissolvement of the racial divide is our only hope of eliminating the racial stigma that has become an inherent part of the history of the American society.Our community needs to come together so that these type events wont occur again. Lets start with the "Man in the mirror." The problem is that people have prejudices and they feel they can justify their perspectives. Some acknowledge their prejudices, some deny it, and, unfortunately, some people are prejudice and "they dont even know it."Lets come together. Make sure that we start with "the man in the mirror."

Growing up, whose parents, if you were not African American, did not tell you to avoid Meacham Park. I’m, of course, not condoning, sanctioning, or offering excuses for Thursday’s violence and immeasurable sorrow. Reasons for Cookie Thornton’s actions are probably multi-faceted, among which, I am suspiciously swayed to think that, of course, race was a factor in the years-long conflicts between Cookie Thornton and the City of Kirkwood. For a black man in America, in particular, in a small (and notorious, if you were white), black neighborhood surrounded by, for the most part, an affluent and white community – how many tickets, citations over the years? How could there not be, under the surface, a slow burning sense of injustice, an ever-present awareness of your color and the very real possibility that a white male with similar issues might not have received quite so many tickets, nor quite so many citations. I am not African American, but a white woman, and the truth is, unless I am a black man, I cannot truly know the frustrations and fears of being black in America. Our environments and the social milieu in which we grow up, don’t excuse, but of course play a part in the events that unfold in our lives, the emotions that push some to the brink, and the decisions we make. For white Americans to allow themselves to be interviewed on the local news and essentially deny that the issue of race may have had its place in Thursday’s events, leaves me feeling slightly queasy.

Any division comes from the thoughts of people such as the one made below: Harry Jones, an elder at Men and Women of Faith Ministries, said a gulf exists between blacks and whites in Kirkwood, one that will take years to close. "It takes prayer and it takes time," he said. "This is something that took place over time, and perhaps it could have been avoided." He received many "amens."Yes, it could have been avoided if Cookie had abided by the laws in the beginning, instead of fighting for justice on his terms. It wasn't the City officials Annie, because he forced them to abide by the law. The law is for everyone, including Cookie.

Cookie got his justice just as anyone else in the same circumstances would have. He refused to accept it each time. He backed himself into a corner, thinking he was justified by blaming others.

It's not about race, Meacham Park, City of Kirkwood, the police, our schools, our courts, prejudice, or the Thornton family. Place blame where the blame should be. Cookie Thornton. He pushed himself into a corner that he saw no way out of. No one pushed him into that corner. Black, white, mexican, whomever, all would have gotten the same court justice. He chose to handle his situations and make the decisions alone. Please see this for what it is and don't divide our city any more. The division comes from false blame and not taking responsibility for yourself.

Disgusting - anyone can break the law. Justice does not mean you get anything you want. Cookie died a disgrace to his community and to our community at large.

Let us pray, Our Father which art in heaven.....

Where's Jesse

It's not a matter of race, it's a matter of someone that couldn't/wouldn't pay fines... That's the bottom line.