My condolences to the family of Megan Ripley. I also feel sorry for Timothy Bean, who fired the shot that killed Megan, and what he must be going through knowing he’s responsible for the loss of another human’s life.

I cannot understand how this took place. While not a hunter, I am not anti-hunting. I am an avid outdoorsman, but in my time in the woods, I have never come across another human that looked like a deer, moose, bear or any animal that calls the forest home.

If you cannot tell the difference between human and animal, you should not be hunting.

On Dec.15, the television news interviewed a handful of folks from the Paris area who all thought the manslaughter charge against Mr. Bean was too harsh. Too harsh? Another person is dead, and people think because he’s sorry, he shouldn’t be charged?

If their loved one was in Megan’s place, I wonder how they would feel. What happened in Paris is no different than the crash in Lewiston in April, when the passenger in a drag racing car was killed and the driver charged with manslaughter. The only difference was the weapon was a car, instead of a gun.

Nobody is saying the driver shouldn’t be charged. It must have to do with Maine being a hunting state; it clouds people’s vision. While sending Mr. Bean away for decades is not the answer, there must be a sentence for the crime that’s been committed.

Steve Yenco, Lisbon Falls