With all that's going on, you may not have noticed that Wednesday was a very big day for unfortunate exercises of Second Amendment freedoms all over the country.

In Middleton, Wisconsin, three people were wounded when a heavily armed guy exercised his Second Amendment rights in an unfortunate manner at a software company's office. The shooter was then killed by good guys with guns in the employ of local and state law enforcement. From USA Today:

Judy Lahmers, a business analyst at WTS Paradigm, said she was working at her desk when she heard shots. She said she fled the building and hid behind a car as the structure's glass entrance door shattered. “I’m not looking back, I’m running as fast as I can. You just wonder, ‘Do you hide or do you run?’” she said.

Always an essential question in this sweet land of liberty.

Todd Richmond AP

Meanwhile, over in Madison, a young person accidentally exercised his Second Amendment rights in an unfortunate manner aboard a public bus. He was taken into custody by local law enforcement. From NBC15:

The 17-year-old's injuries are non life-threatening. Madison Police said they believe that the shooting was unintentional, and are looking into how the student got the gun, as well as whether the student had it in his possession during the school day.

This is America. How dare you even ask that question of this young liberty lover? Also:

"We have had several people that were at the initial incident in Middleton respond out here as well," said Capt. Tom Snyder with the Madison East Police District. "So certainly that's difficult, and it's been a long day for people, it's been a stressful day. And for those folks who remain in Middleton, they're probably going to be there through the night. So taxing on resources, no doubt about it."

Hey, freedom isn't free, pal.

Mike Jones AP

Meanwhile, in Masontown, Pennsylvania, a gentleman exercised his Second Amendment rights in an unfortunate manner in the local courthouse, wounding four people, including a police officer. He was shot and killed by other local police officers. From NBC News:

The suspect was charged with strangulation, assault and other charges stemming from a domestic incident several weeks ago and he was due to have a hearing on Wednesday, Bower said. Court was in session at the time of the shooting, but police do not believe that Judge Shimshock or any of his staff or prosecutors were targets of the shooting.

Well, OK, then. Domestic disputes are often fertile ground for the unfortunate exercise of Second Amendment rights.

Finally, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, a man exercised his Second Amendment rights in an unfortunate manner by ventilating his parents at an assisted living facility. Prior to that, he had exercised them in an unfortunate manner at his ex-wife, who was not injured. Afterwards, he exercised them in an unfortunate manner at the police who were chasing him. Then, he crashed and was dead. It's unclear whether he died in the crash or from being shot by good guys with guns.

One day in America, land of the free.

Update (4:26 p.m.): And, as some people in Maryland learned on Thursday, an unfortunate exercise of Second Amendment rights can occur anywhere, at any time, because freedom, that's why. From The Baltimore Sun:

The 26-year-old woman, whose name authorities did not release, was a temporary employee at the distribution center in Perryman, an unincorporated area of the county near Aberdeen. She used a 9mm Glock handgun in the shooting, firing on employees both inside and outside the facility, Gahler said. Her motive for the shooting is not yet known. Police are serving warrants at the suspect’s last known address, in Baltimore County, Gahler said. The gun was registered and owned by the suspect, Gahler said...

The shooting comes comes 11 months after a shooting at a kitchen countertop company in Edgewood, less than 10 miles away. Three were killed and two were injured in the October 2017 attack.

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Charles P. Pierce Charles P Pierce is the author of four books, most recently Idiot America, and has been a working journalist since 1976.

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