i think the bottom line is that these were young adults who choose to drink more than they should of and choose to drink where they should not of been and then choose to leave friend behind which has now ended very sadly. my prayers are with his family and friends.

To add to the last comment, The police were also told that there was a lot of screaming about wanting to die or not wanting to die from someone in the group. don't know if it was playing around or someone getting drunk and getting depressed or what. Either way that should have been taken into consideration at the time the police made contact. Maybe it was, but more should have been done.

First off I would like to give my sympathy to the family, second , this city seems to beleive you need 50 officers everytime they need to "respond" to something if they would have just taken him and his friends to detox this may have been avoided ,the one thing he needed was his stomach pumped. Back in 98' my husband drank way too much partly because drinks were given to him and because that was his 21st birthday if the police would have not come to check on a noise comp. and made the fast decision to call an ambulance to get his stomach pumped he would not be here to day, I hope his "friends" feel some real remorse but like grandma used to always say in the end you'll know who your true friends are, they should have never left him!

Areyouevenlistening is right. There is underage drinking, what would be considered contributing to a minor, a bonfire (Janesville's fire ord), disturbing the peace, public intoxication, and whatever else. The public intoxication and disturbing the peace would come from the fact that they were yelling and screaming while in the woods and while walking out after being asked to leave. I was outside and heard them plain as day from a good distance away. There was two cops that showed up for the call. Two cops would not have been missed out of the whole 3rd shift police force, especially for just a little while. While writing the multiple tickets they would have noticed if they were hammered or not. About the jails being crowded, they would not have been put in the main part of the jail. For those that would have qualified for jail, they would have been put into a holding cell until they were sober. Others would have been issued tickets, and that might have made them think about where they should have been and what they should have been doing. Yes, everyone should be responsible for themselves, but when people are not doing that the police should be right there to set it straight. Its their jobs. A 26 year old can make their own decisions, but it doesn't mean that they are the right ones. Bottom line is that the police should have done more. It might have made a difference and might not have when it came to ed's life. To his family & friends, I'm truly sorry for your loss. A lot of people I know knew him in one way or another. I've been told he was a good guy. Happy,and would never hurt anyone. A good friend.

How is this JPD's fault? They responded to the disturbance, kicked them out of the park, went to a serious call, and all but one person did as instructed?

I'm sorry this turned into a tragedy, but if his "friends" ("... was usually walked over by his friends...) were really friends, he would probably still be here. My thoughts are that they just left him there.

JPD doesn't run a babysitting service. Protect and Serve... they did just that.

reap n sew. Take responsibility.

It's a shame the good ones go too young and the cynics continue to drive on creating a hel* on earth for those of us who have to listen to their idiotic remarks, while the ones with some tact seem to be taken too early!! I am so sorry for this family. I pray that he was happy in his final moments, and not hurting.

In the other article for this deaths blog it sure sounds like there were A few more than 3 people there on Thursday night also. This is I guess one more thing that makes it suspicious (As this headline reads) Gazette's and Police Dept. words not mine.

Patch is it just an ordinance violation for starting A fire in those woods? Didn't think so! Just checking.

Patch~ OK first off get over yourself, One thing the group could and more importantly SHOULD have been arrested for was (if you have read some of the comments in the other blog from A few that actually were there) underage drinking A bon-fire was also going in the woods which if I'm not mistaken here is right behind PEOPLES HOMES,(so if the fire would've gotten out of control from the people JUST drinking in the woods would that have been ok with you Patch?) it has to be close enough to those homes as it was the residents who called the police in the first place! There how's that for A few reasons, I for one have never once complained when the police did their jobs its when cases like this happen and they failed terribly! Yes I have heard some of you say that the Man was 26 and could make his own decisions but the term Protect and to Serve sometimes meens to Protect someone from themselves like when they become extremely intoxicated and yes someone did admit to that in the other blog! And besides people are arrested all the time for doing stupid things, I believe that the shots fired call had alot to do with exceptions made in this case! Agree don't agree, I don't care anymore what you think its obvious that we are not on the same page here Sir!

Areyouevenlistening, can you tell me what they should have been arrested for? Any arrest that was made would have been nothing more than a city ordinance ticket for trespassing or drinking in public. A piece of paper with the people's name and a court date would not have done anything to change the outcome. There was no indication that anyone in the group was incapacitated.
Of course, if they were arrested and nobody died people would still be whining. They would say the police were arresting adults for drinking and would be accused of having "nothing better to do."

Well i just want to say that Ed was a friend of mine. I knew him for about 5 years. He was on my bowling league for 2 years and we were just friends. I dont think that you all should be worrying whether or not the police did the right thing. I think you should post your sympathies for the family of this man who will not see their son turn 27. Ed was a very nice man who was usually walked over by his friends which he didnt deserve. He just liked to have fun and drink. I understand that when you drink it is your own responsibility but come on have a little sympathy. I am sure that Ed would appreciate nice words being said about him as he usually said about others. He would help anyone in need and always gave second chances. It is a very unfortunate thing that this had to happen to such a nice guy. I just think that an argument over whether the police should have arrested him or not is way out of line when a death has occured.

areyouevenlistening, last time I checked a 26 year old can make their own decisions. How can you question the officer's decision? Were you there with the police? There was almost ten hours between the time the police were there and the body was found. You can drink a lot or use a lot of drugs in that period of time. You can also fall and hit your head, freeze, or have an undiagnosed medical condition that could cause you to die. Until the autopsy is completed no one will know what caused the death. Also last time I checked someone shooting is more serious than some adults, of legal drinking age, violating a municipal ordinance in a park.

momfirst1979 said it exactly right.

Had the police taken the guys in, you'd be complaining that they were wasting time with drunks instead of fighting real crimes.

When do you become responsible for yourself?

Why on earth did'nt the police arrest the group?, after all drinking in that area is ILLEGAL and maybe A life could have been saved if only the police would have done their job in this sad case! I hope the officer that made the call on this one can live with the decision he made on Thursday evening now that A 26 year old man named Edward Smith will never have another chance, how terrible. I hope the officer will always remember his name and how his poor judgement in this situation has now left A family and friends without him forever!