They were preventable.

That is what seems to be bothering residents in St. John the Baptist Parish and the greater River Region right now.

This week’s tragic news started Sunday, when a gyrocopter — a largely unknown experimental aircraft — crashed at St. John Airport, taking the lives of Darren Mahler, 47, and a family friend, Payton Wilt, 13, both of Metairie.

Payton’s parents have told media members they were unaware he was flying in an experimental aircraft, saying had they known, they would not have allowed him to fly in it.

There is no doubt lawsuits are coming in this case, which looks like something that will impact the airport and its owner, the Port of South Louisiana, for a long time to come.

The tragedies continued Wednesday when a staple of the parish law enforcement community — Lt. Nolan Anderson — was shot and killed by deputies from his own force, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Local authorities maintain Anderson was threatening to kill his wife and shot at deputies from the Sheriff’s Office responding to the scene.

In four days’ time, three people lost their lives in St. John amongst circumstances no one would have believed possible this time last week.

Senior Trooper Chris McClelland of the Troopers Assistance Program and Dr. Bobby Smith, director of the Assistance Program, told L’OBSERVATEUR this week they are assisting the Southern Law Enforcement Foundation in providing care for the involved deputies.

“We encourage officers who are involved in these types of incidents to seek professional help, utilizing chaplains, peer support teams, or professional counselors,” McClelland said.

The advice applies to a lot more than deputies right now as our whole community mourns the week’s tragic losses, which seem to many so unnecessary and preventable.