It is unknown whether the intruder is a wild animal or another man with a gun. Yet, the anomaly sounds an alert. Anecdotes are observations of happenings in our local activities that are small scale but seem to say something. The inference is that this is happening other places on a larger scale. An anecdote combined with anomalies and symbols grounds an inference.
Personal experiences mean more than polls or numerical charts.
Symbols portray subconscious projections. We project our own needs, experiences and feelings. Symbols have a way of predicting. People often follow their own projections. The subconscious leads the conscious.