By: Roman Pryjomko, Policy and Governance Advisor, Sunshine Rides
On December 18th, 2024, Patrick Thomas Egan launched an alleged unprovoked attack on reporter Ja’Ronn Alex outside the KKCO/KJCT TV station in Grand Junction, Colorado. Egan was subsequently arrested and charged on suspicion of bias-motivated crimes, second degree assault and harassment. The incident marked yet another sad milestone in America’s tragic history of spiraling predatory violence.
I learned of this incident quite unexpectedly while on a safari-vacation in the magnificent South African wilderness. The story had gone viral around the world because of its wider context since Egan had first stalked and taunted his victim with racially and politically - charged threats.
I guess we should be thankful that no one was killed nor seriously injured in this incident. In this case, we can simply shake our heads in mild disapproval, shrug our shoulders and move on pretending all is well in our beloved American heartland? I think not.
This time I believe the situation begs our urgent attention – especially in the private transportation sector- and for me personally, it strikes close to home. For the last three years I have been a policy and governance advisor to the owner of a private transportation company - Sunshine Rides of Grand Junction, Colorado. The alleged attacker Egan was an employee of the taxi company and used a company vehicle to pursue the victim before launching his unprovoked assault.
Sunshine Rides was founded in 1991 as a woman-owned small business in the tough male-dominated oil town of Grand Junction. The founder, Elizabeth Williams was a gutsy pioneer of the type that truly built the prosperity of America’s West.
From the start Elizabeth or “Willy” as she was affectionately known, ran her taxi company based on clear and unshakeable principles. Firstly, treating her employees like family – fairly and always with respect. Secondly, caring for every single customer, including their personal safety and the quality of the ride. She considered every person stepping into her taxi individually, fully aware that each client was carrying one of life’s greater or lesser burdens and therefore deserved kindness and care.
Today, Sunshine Rides continues to advocate a sense of civic pride and duty towards Grand Junction and the many communities it serves. When the son of the founder Kelly Milan took over the company in 2001, he committed to build upon his mom’s legacy and maintain her core principles. Over the years, the business has expanded while overcoming many challenges, such as the pandemic. It has grown steadily to proudly serve communities across the Western Slope.
With a law enforcement and criminology background, I have worked for over two decades in the complex fields of threat assessment and violence prevention. Egan’s violent actions were contrary to everything Sunshine Rides stands for and represents, including the majority of decent, law-abiding citizens in the local community. However, each incident or case studied offers important lessons learned, including opportunities to strengthen prevention.
Firstly, it's essential to acknowledge that predatory violence while avoidable is like liquid poison. Its destructive and lasting impacts spread far and wide, affecting not only the victim, but also their family and friends; co-workers; the TV station and Sunshine Rides and all their loyal committed employees; witnesses and bystanders who bravely intervened to stop the attack; the first responders and law enforcement officers. Their collective sense of safety and personal well-being have been grossly violated. And this does not even count the financial losses and costs incurred because of a single act of mindless violence.
I say mindless, but this is not totally accurate. Egan had a grievance and motive in his mind before launching his attack. He used threatening political rhetoric to justify the unjustifiable – to normalize the abnormal.
While a court of law will rightly hold the perpetrator to account for his alleged crimes, there is plenty to reflect upon following this disturbing incident. Egan did not create the toxic environment which allowed this to happen, he merely exploited it. Words matter. Hate-provoking words really matter. Politicians, media commentators, and so-called public “leaders” who freely use the language of threats and retribution, violence and revenge, grievance, and fear, turbocharged with noxious lies and propaganda have a lot to answer for.
Show me an example from history where demonizing and pitting one citizen against another is a pathway to greatness? It is not. This hateful race to the bottom must stop because more innocent people will suffer and possibly die and we, as a once proud nation, will slip into the shadows of self-inflicted and irreversible decline.
Regardless of our politics we must urgently start an active conversation amongst our families and friends, and within our communities, about the importance of civility, decency and mutual respect. These are the values that made America great in the past - and will do so again in the future.
At Sunshine Rides we will re-invigorate and promote through clear policies and positive actions the core principle of ‘ride with respect.’ Promoting genuine respect for all our clients, colleagues and everyone in the growing community we serve, without fear or prejudice.
And why does this matter? Because respect is a core principle that underpins good governance and freedom, we all should value within a democratic society. However, with freedom comes great responsibility at the individual, business, community, and national level. And mutual respect is one of the most essential virtues and responsibilities. When woven into the fabric of a civilized society, it nurtures social peace and economic prosperity for everyone.
No one can be a bystander or indifferent to this much-needed ‘kindness revolution’ because indifference is an excuse that history never accepts. Never.
Roman Pryjomko is a Regional Governance Advisor based in Europe and the USA. He has over two decades of experience in governance reform and violence prevention projects worldwide working with governments, business (SMEs) and corporations as well as international agencies such as the United Nations and World Bank. Roman has a background in public safety, violence prevention and supports initiatives that promote social peace.