Life is so fragile

One often doesn't realize how fragile life really is.

I was working at Macy's on Saturday when the shooting happened inside the mall. What I experienced was nothing compared to what many others experienced or saw. Surprisingly, it affected me a lot more than I would have ever thought. When you hear about the shootings like the one in the Tacoma mall a while back, you think, “That would never happen to me,” or “I'm glad I'd never be in that situation.” And although for me it wasn't a big deal, that “never happen to me,” did happen.

Around 3:45pm my coworker, Sean and I saw a couple kids run around the corner into the shoe department where we were working. They knocked a purse off the counter and we heard someone yell “Go, go, go!!” Our reaction was that someone was stealing something. Then I heard a low rumble and I thought...Earthquake? Fire? Bomb??? Then realized the low rumble was the running of people who came swarming around the corner towards the exit behind me. People were yelling things like, “He's got a gun,” “There was a shooting,” and “Get out.” I froze. My first thought was to run in the back room and grab my purse and coat. Sean ran round the corner, half way to the door then turned around and came back and grabbed my arm and pulled me all the way outside. We continued to run to what we thought was a safe distance away...to the corner of Nordstrom's. The way the people were running it seemed like the shooter was right behind them. Of course, he wasn't. But we didn't know that. After about thirty seconds of being outside we saw our mall security call all employees back inside...we ran for the door and got to it right as he bolted it and we said we were employees and he shook his head no and walked away.

Six of us employees were locked out along with customers. I had no coat, no wallet, no keys, no cell phone. It was all locked inside. After about half an hour several of us girls huddled together cause we were freezing cold. Our pregnant coworker had run out with a box of shoes only containing one shoe. Our other coworker loaned her his coat. One lady was locked outside while her husband and baby were locked just on the other side of the doors. An older lady was supposed to be picked up on a different side of the mall, but was not strong enough to walk all the way around in the cold. Eventually a good Samaritan got her car and drove the lady around. Another man had bought a watch...the watch and receipt still lay on the counter inside. Around the corner at another exit sat a man still in a pair of pants he was trying on...and lady....well...people had to give her their coats because she was trying things on as well. And yet another man was sitting with his arms around his knees rocking back and forth because he witnessed the shooting.

Everyone was trying to call the others inside and find out what was going on. Our coworker who was inside told us through the window that one person had died by saying “one” and then putting his finger across his throat. Two were shot and the rumor was there were four shooters. In reality, there was only one shooter, but they arrested three guys. None of which was the shooter.

After an hour and a half of being locked outside security came to the door and let us employees back in. We had to have our Macy's badges on to get back in. He proceeded to yell at us telling us to never, ever leave the store as an employee and to duck and cover or go into a back room, but do not leave the building. (I would still choose to run outside if it happened again). We got back in and sat around for about two hours. After an hour they called all customers to the bottom level and let them out in a single file line while security eyed them all. We were stuck for another hour then they let us out by calling us by department and then by name. Another rumor was that the shooter was seen running into Macy's. I learned this after I had been let back into Macy's...of course.

I was supposed to go to lunch at 3:30pm. Thankfully I didn't or else I would have been in the food court where the shooting happened.

The shooting was gang related they think. It started with a fist fight and then one guy pulled a gun and started shooting. The main worry was that the shooter was shooting with no regard, didn't care if he shot anyone else, but obviously had a purpose. The young man was sixteen years old who died. The other fifteen years old who is still in critical condition. The one who died got out of jail on Friday and was trying to get a fresh start, so his friends say. The young man in critical condition was due in court yesterday. They still haven't caught the shooter but police say they are confident they will.

It didn't hit me until I was finally in my car, stuck in traffic trying to get home that I felt like crying. I know my experience was nothing, but I never thought I'd be in that kind of a situation. All of a sudden everyone I looked at was a suspect. I didn't feel safe anywhere! Its scary to think that all someone has to do to take another person's life is simply, move their finger and pull a little trigger. It shouldn't be so easy to take something so precious.