We have heard it before, and yes it’s true, when the plane lands safely, that doesn’t make the news. A safe landing is, of course, the expectation, or no one would ever board the plane.

And yes, if the worst happens, there is a story and a headline — likely large and well-displayed.

On Monday night, the worst didn’t happen, and while the story did produce a headline that was large and well-displayed, we felt another word or two about what didn’t happen was appropriate.

There was a potentially deadly mix of events that unfolded on Monday night in North Lumberton, but the ending to the 28-minute incident was a happy one, with no one hurt or injured. Now it will be left to the courts to decide what is justice.

In case you don’t know: According to Lumberton police, there was a hit-and-run accident in the parking lot of Walmart on Fayetteville Road. Police were dispatched, but before their arrival, a second call came in about a confrontation, one that included a man wielding a gun.

When two police officers did arrive, they saw the armed suspect at Texas Steakhouse, and reportedly he refused their commands to “show his hands.” Instead, he retreated into a fenced-in area that houses trash bins and at least one shot was fired at police, maybe more. Police have not said how many, but if you are on the receiving end, one is too many.

Some blanks have been filled in on what happened between the hit-and-run and the arrival of police, including that the suspect, a former employee of Texas Steakhouse, had entered that restaurant but left when told to.

The suspect eventually was tracked down with the use of a K-9 officer, near Outback, and arrested without additional problems.

What we haven’t mentioned is the suspect is young, 30 years old, and black.

We mention that because we hear often about confrontations between young black men and law enforcement officers; rather, we hear about them when something goes terribly wrong, and someone, most often the young black, ends up injured or dead. Yesterday’s Our View in fact was about an NFL quarterback who no longer is an NFL quarterback, ostensibly because he took a knee in protest to call attention to the shooting of young black men by police officers.

What is clear to us is the two Lumberton police officers, in not firing back, showed great restraint. Perhaps they didn’t feel comfortable with the shot. They also had to take into account that they were in a busy shopping center, and a stray bullet could have made a dangerous situation something way worse. Regardless, we are convinced that their decision prevented an incident from escalating, and led to a conclusion that everyone should have wanted.

So on Monday night, the plane safely landed — and we felt that is was worth of a mention. Good job, Lumberton PD.