Some folks work at jobs that take them into some pretty rough areas. In those cases, it’s not surprising someone would want to carry a firearm. After all, if you’re dead, you can’t spend your paycheck. It makes perfect sense.

However, some photos of construction workers in Milwaukee have a lot of people freaking out over the idea of armed workers.

Construction workers packing — not their lunches, but guns! A photo has surfaced, and it’s creating some controversy in Milwaukee. FOX6 News has confirmed city officials are investigating.

Sewer work near 20th and Meinecke was in progress Monday, December 4th, as some said a photo of workers at another sewer project is standing in the way of progress when it comes to community relations.

“Real scary, scary looking professional. Shouldn’t be carrying guns. Kids around here and stuff,” Lawana Robinson, neighbor said.

The photo shows a worker wearing a Poblocki Paving vest. Poblocki officials said none of the workers seen in the photo are theirs. Company officials said they find the photo disturbing and said their vests are readily accessible to anyone on a project. Poblocki officials said their workers do not carry guns, and they are prohibited from wearing blue jeans on the job.

Senator Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, said city workers and contractors shouldn’t be carrying guns, according to the rules. She said it’s concerning, especially in what appears to be a school zone.

One of the photos in question shows someone who appears to be a worker with an unholstered firearm in his hand, which undoubtedly made some people pretty nervous. However, there’s a lot of context missing from these photos that might explain precisely what’s going on.

Or maybe not.

That said, while I’m an advocate of concealed carry over open carry as a general thing, I can’t help but wonder how many people would have been freaked out over the guns on these guys hips if the sight was more common. After all, the more you see it, the less unusual you view it unless you have some ideological lens you view the world through.

Of course, it does matter whether relevant laws were followed. While I despise any law that tells me where I can and can’t carry a gun or tries to tell me how I can carry a firearm, the law is the law. You either follow it or be prepared for the consequences. Period.

Wisconsin law calls anything a school zone that lies within 1000 feet of the school. While I’m not familiar with this intersection, a quick review of Google Maps shows Phyllis Wheatly Public School as being roughly half a block away. According to the all-knowing Google app, that’s about 272 feet, well within the limit of what is legal.

In short, assuming these workers are legitimate workers and this happened where it’s claimed to have happened, it looks like these guys screwed up. I’m not going to excuse it or justify it. They appear to have broken the rules, again assuming the information is correct.

However, it should be noted that despite that, there were no reported robberies, murders, shootings, or any other kind of violence associated with these men.

I mean, it’s almost like people who openly carry their firearm aren’t likely to intentionally break the law. Shocking, I know!