A Small Victory

I get to the next intersection and there on my left is about 10 police cars. There are men who are brandishing what look like shotguns.

And then another helicopter.

I meet my sister at the diner and we discuss it and come to the conclusion that it must have been a jailbreak. We haven't had one of those in years.

On my way back to work, the crowd of police cars and detectives and all kinds of official looking vehicles have moved a block down and across the street.

And there's another helicopter.

It looks like they are searching through bushes. I move on and head back to work.

I sit at my desk and worry. The scene of the unknown commotion is equidistant between Natalie and DJ's schools. I leave work early. It's about time for school to let out anyhow so I head over to pick up DJ. The bell rings and the kids run out the doors, flushed with excitement and yelling about a lockdown.

I hang around, waiting for other parents or teachers to clear up the story for me. If you ever need information about your town, just hang around a schoolyard at dismissal time.

Long story short: There was an armed carjacking at noon on East Meadow Avenue. 3 guys with guns. There was a brief manhunt, during which time the local schools went into lockdown. The alleged perpetrators were eventually captured.

I don't remember the last time I heard about a violent crime in this town. Especially not in broad daylight on a main road. This is really bothering me. I feel like someone has snipped the little safety net I had wrapped myself in.

The kids, of course, were thrilled and scared at the same time. Rumor around school was that they caught Osama bin Laden shopping at the local florist.

All in a day.

*update: It was a jewelry store robbery with a subsequent carjacking.

another update: bahahaha. the car they tried to carjack was being driven by an off duty police officer