A television reporter talked about yet another act of violence: the fatal shooting of an employee at a fast-food restaurant.
At home, the girlfriend of the late Nic Dirkson and their toddler daughter watched video footage of the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant where Dirkson had been gunned down Saturday night.Then, 17-month-old Rachelle saw the face of her father on the screen.
"Dada, Dada," she said, reaching out. But before she could touch the television, the picture of the smiling teenager was gone.
"Bye-bye," Rachelle said, wiggling her fingers, waving.
The scene brought tears once again to Nicole Powell's eyes. Nic was the father of Rachelle and Rebecca, twin toddlers who used to run to the front door of their Midvale home whenever he drove up.
Nicole and Nic both worked full-time at the Kentucky Fried Chicken in Midvale, struggling to pay the bills for twins and save enough to get their own apartment. Nicole still lives at home with her mother and the children.
Nic was 17 when he died Saturday night, Nicole 19. The couple had been together four years. Nic dropped out of school when his daughters were born. They planned to marry in August.
On Saturday, Nic went into the KFC parking lot to speak with some boys he suspected of stealing his car stereo.
Nic was shot three times. The boys fled. Police have made three arrests, but say the boy who pulled the trigger was still on the run Tuesday.
Nicole was counting the day's receipts when she heard the shots. She dashed into the lot and found Nic on the pavement, struggling to get up. She cradled him in her arms.
"I told him I loved him. I said, `You're a fighter, don't stop fighting.' "
He made her promise she would take care of the girls. Then a nurse who had been eating at the restaurant stepped in to help. When police and paramedics arrived, they wouldn't allow Nicole near Nic.
Now, Nicole does not have a clear idea how she will fulfill her promise to Nic. When she feels safe enough, she will go back to work.
In the meantime, she thinks about what she will tell the twins when they are old enough to ask about their father.
"I'm gonna tell them that their daddy loved them," she said. "That he's their guardian angel and he's gonna watch them."