Every American who ever loads a car, pumps gasoline or gets on a bus shared the fear that gripped the suburbs of Washington, D.C.

Arrests have been made in the sniper case that has terrorized the area surrounding Washington, D.C., for the past two weeks, but it probably is too early to assume that it’s time to resume business as usual. Even if the killing stops, there unfortunately is always the chance for a copycat who is seeking publicity or wanting to be a martyr for a cause.

Although the shootings occurred in a relatively small geographical area, the fear that accompanied them spread across the nation. People were struck down in a fashion that seemed entirely random, but all of them were shot while performing tasks most of us do all of the time: eating out, shopping at a home center, pumping gasoline, getting on a bus. If it could happen to the people near Washington, it wasn’t hard to imagine it happening in your home town.

As a terrorism tool, the sniper shootings were amazingly effective. The shootings paralyzed the Washington suburbs, canceling events, closing schools and making everyone stay closer to home. It apparently was a relatively low-tech sort of operation. One or two people and one gun with a telescopic site was all that was needed. One person with an agenda. One person with a personal grudge, a political beef or a mental disorder. One deranged person randomly killing whoever walked into his or her rifle sights.

It would be easy to criticize the law enforcement handling of this case. On one hand, it seems impossible that a sniper could elude capture long enough to strike 13 times and kill 10 people. And yet, looking for such a person, or even two people, in the huge Washington, D.C., metropolitan area would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. How many white vans are driving around that area? How many different places could a sniper lie in wait?

As horrible as the events of Sept. 11, 2001, were, they had a beginning and an end. Our awareness of international terrorism certainly was heightened and we pray our leaders will deal with the situation wisely, but at some point, Americans were able to manage their fear and move forward with their lives.

If, following Thursday’s arrests, the shooting spree ends in the Washington area, will we all feel safer? Probably. But we’ll probably all be looking over our shoulders a little more and wondering when the same kind of maniacal force might decide to visit our home town.