12/20/2025
This situation is heartbreaking. I previously made a donation to help the victims of the Vienna Pointe fire, and my thoughts are with every resident who was displaced and every family affected.
I truly believe this was an accident, but it is still deeply unfortunate that a level of negligence appears to have played a role. When negligence reaches a certain point, there is always the possibility that criminal charges may follow, and that is something the system will have to sort out.
I also want to say this clearly: while I know firsthand that some of the residents could be challenging at times, the majority of them were good people dealing with real mental health struggles. They deserved care, safety, and dignity. During my time as sheriff, there were many occasions when we brought items to them during the holidays, and those gestures were always appreciated. Those moments reminded me that behind the labels and challenges were human beings who mattered.
No one deserves to lose their home this way. This fire disrupted lives that were already fragile, and that makes it all the more tragic. I hope the focus now remains on helping the residents recover, holding the right people accountable, and ensuring something like this never happens again.
Please keep the victims in your thoughts and prayers.
In the early hours of Aug. 7, a fire engulfed Vienna Pointe Residential Care.Security footage from that morning shows an unlikely onset.READ MORE: https://kr...
