This is in no way Kings-related.

Matt Garcia, a 22-year-old city councilman in Fairfield, was shot in the head last night. He's in critical condition at John Muir.

I worked with Matt a few years ago at a chain restaurant. He's a terrific kid. You sort-of have to be if you make a run at city council at age 21. He was a really smart cat, quick and eager to learn, a hard-worker. Fairfield's a tough town, fairly gang-ridden and full of bad neighborhoods, drugs and broken dreams. Matt saw that stuff and didn't want to accept it. Most of us who wanted better streets around us moved to the better streets -- usually in other towns. Matt wouldn't let the bad guys win.

It's depressing how rarely good kids take an interest in fixing the problems of the world. When that does happen, and something like this happens? It's almost unbearable.

All our thoughts and prayers with Matt, and all the innocent souls claimed by forces of evil.

UPDATE: Matt has been declared brain-dead, according to a Vacaville newspaper. He will disconnected from life support later today. Godspeed, Matt.