When the first news broke Sunday morning about a driver going through a barricade near SeaWorld along the route of the Rock n Roll Marathon, the first thought was whether it was some kind of terrorist incident.
Coming just the morning after the attack in London the night before, with thousands of runners on the streets of San Diego, it wasn’t surprising of course that people would react that way...
Fortunately, it was not with a San Diego police spokesman describing it as just a case of someone trying to get to the freeway and completely disregarding posted signs and erected barricades.
But while London is thousands of miles away from us, the attackers were able to carry out enough of their evil plan using a van and knives to kill and injure in an area of London that was an area similar to a lot of major cities in the U.S, an area of restaurants and shops.
So while it may happen far away, it raises concerns here and everywhere,
It was good to see the tweet from San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman over the weekend that read: There is no credible threat/nexus from situation in London to San Diego. As always we ask you to stay vigilant. Prayers to London.
Security was extra tight for the marathon and it will remain so for other large events in San Diego and elsewhere.
But in saying what she did in her tweet, the San Diego police chief reminds us that the efforts to prevent terrorism are not only up to law enforcement.
And that everyone needs to be alert, not anxious, but just alert and not be afraid to do what they advise to do. That if you see something, or suspect something, then say something.
(Photo Getty Images)