One obvious.
One, maybe, not so much.
(CNN) -- Gunfire erupted in a Columbia, Maryland, shopping mall Saturday morning, leaving at least three people dead, according to the Howard County Police Department's Twitter account.
Authorities initially reported that an active shooter was on the second floor of the sprawling mall in Columbia in Howard County, according to CNN affiliate WBAL. Local scanner reports had authorities requesting multiple mass casualty units.
One of the bodies was located near a gun and ammunition, according to the Howard County Police Department Twitter account. The identification of the person was unknown.
A 911 call about shots fired at the mall was made at 11:15 a.m., police said.
Images on Twitter reportedly from the scene showed mall employees and customers hiding in a stock room. The mall was on lockdown. Another Twitter image reportedly from the scene showed a bullet-riddled wall.
The Howard County Fire Department on Twitter reported an active shooter situation.
Both the Howard County police and fire departments were on the scene.
The fire department via Twitter advised people to avoid the area. CNN was first alerted to this story on Twitter.
At this writing, the mall has been secured and shoppers, patrons, etc. are being allowed to leave.
This event hits just a little closer to home.
Because it hits a little closer to home.
I live about an hour from this mall, located in the Baltimore/Washington DC area.
And my sister, who lives very close to this mall, was at the movie theatre in the mall today with friends.
She reports that she and her friends are fine.
Speculation from media "reporters/anchors" is running rampant, loose and, as personally witnessed, borderline irresponsible in the quest to be first as opposed to right, as we've come to expect from media "reporters/anchors" in the quest to be first as opposed to right.
No one, at this writing, knows officially any more details than that three people are dead.
Here's a thing.
With the exception of the terrible news that some families are going to receive shortly, no other details are going to make much of a difference.
Because these events are, arguably, becoming a matter of routine.
And with the exception of some families who are going to receive some terrible news shortly, everyone else will feel heartache, compassion, empathy, sympathy, anger, resentment, frustration and a variety of other emotions for a few hours, days, even a week maybe.
And then get back about the business of living this life.
Playing the cards that we're being dealt.
Even though aces and eights seem to be showing up more and more often.
And none of this is intended to imply that reasonable people aren't outraged when it comes to being forced into finding a way to deal with these events becoming, arguably, a matter of routine.
Because no reasonable person can be anything but outraged.
But these events are, arguably, becoming a matter of routine.
And no reasonable person would even think to offer that they are getting used to this.
But, it's starting to feel like we're learning to live with it.
That's the second, and scarier, of the two things.
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