It turned out to be a false alarm in Sioux Falls on Friday morning, but it seems to me we can understand the concern. At least, I do.

As you know by now, police got a call just before 8am about a man in the area of 38th and Phillips who may have been carrying a rifle.

Police checked it out, searched the area and talked to a lot of people, one of whom said it might have been a pool cue in a case.

Schools in the area were in what's called "shelter in place," where the doors to the outside are locked but the children go about their studies, albeit by staying indoors.

Then around 11am, Information Officer Sam Clemens says, they got a call about the man's identity. They talked to him and sure enough, it was a pool cue he was toting as he waited for a friend.

Like it or not, these are the times we live in. Horrible, seemingly unthinkable things have happened that involved weapons of some kind in places that might have seemed innocuous: a movie theater, a Congressional meeting with constituents, a famous road race and, yes, even a school.

And even though in this case it was a pool cue, we're all going to be more vigilant and there likely will never be a time when we can let our guard down.

It's just the way things are.

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