Both the worst and the finest sides of human nature were apparent on May 23, 2014, the horrific night when six UCSB students lost their lives. The worst side was exhibited by 22-year-old Elliot Rodger, who murdered six people and injured 14 more before killing himself. The finest side, though, was demonstrated over and over again by the first responders who displayed courage during that dreadful Friday night last May.
Such was emphasized Wednesday afternoon, when more than 50 Sheriff’s Office personnel and UCSB police officers were individually recognized on the stage in the Isla Vista Theater, just blocks from the where the 8-minute violent rampage unfolded.
Sheriff Bill Brown made a point not to mention Rodger’s name on Wednesday, instead referring to him as a mentally ill college student who took the lives of six “bright, accomplished, and innocent” UCSB students — David Wang, James Hong, George Chen, Veronika Weiss, Katie Cooper, and Christopher Michaels-Martinez.