Random acts of violence?

A bullet fired through the window of a Main Street restaurant last Saturday night in Cape Girardeau left patrons and residents wondering. Police have no suspects and no motive.

Luckily, no one was badly hurt in the mishap. A few patrons were hit by shards of glass. But the bullet did more than shatter glass. It shattered nerves.

Police theorize that the bullet could have been fired from someone walking or driving by. Sgt. Carl Kinninson said it could even have been as innocent as target practice in Illinois. A .22-caliber bullet could travel about a mile from a rifle, he said.

Whatever the reason, the bullet hole in the glass served as a stark reminder that violence is not limited to the metropolitan areas. Last Saturday's shooting was a sobering and sobering experience.