Morning rituals were disrupted May 17 as the hustle and bustle of commutes and carpools gave way to school lockdowns, roadblocks and a manhunt in Chelsea. After a domestic disturbance call early that morning, the suspect Adam Arthur Hendricks, fled on foot with a handgun, only to be captured approximately two hours later.

To describe the possibilities of what could have happened in the few short hours of Monday morning would be terrifying. Children on school buses, families in carpool lanes, children settling into homeroom, commuters in traffic; the tragic consequences of that morning’s events could have been the sort of horror and pain that scars a community forever.

But those tragic possibilities were avoided as a direct result of quick thinking officials and brave men and women of our local law enforcement.

Quick thinking by Shelby County School officials immediately locked down Chelsea Intermediate and Middle Schools upon learning of the morning’s events and buses that had not yet let off their passengers were rerouted away from the area to keep kids safe.

No children were ever in danger thanks to the collaborative actions of many that morning, and a suspect now sits in the Shelby County Jail.

Like so many Shelby Countians, my oldest daughter and I were making our way to school and work as we drove through the Chelsea area that morning.

As we progressed through the traffic near Chelsea City Hall in amazement at the overwhelming number of law enforcement officers, one could only be amazed by the bravery of those law enforcement officers who were speeding towards harms way to keep us safe.

Shelby County is a safe place to raise a family but it is not insulated from the reality of the world in which we live; Monday’s events prove this. But we are fortunate, indeed blessed, to live in a community where brave men and women risk their own lives to protect us and professionals in leadership positions make excellent decisions in the blink of an eye.