My in-laws were in town this weekend for a visit. Among about a million other things that we did, we went to Minnehaha Falls to walk some trails and check out the water falls. The weater was amazing - around 60 degrees and sunny all weekend. The park was full of high school kids playing hacky sack, people walking dogs, parents pushing strollers, families having picnics. It was a picture-perfect spring day.
After spending some time on trails, we headed back across the park toward our car to head home. The sidewalk we were following came near a pavillion where a large family was grilling out. They were apparently celebrating a toddlers birthday since there was one very small child and some kid-themed balloons.
As we were walking up the sidewalk, we heard this pop-pop-pop sound. We all continued walking, but were all looking around to figure out what the noise was. My mind immediately thought "gun" but I looked around for things that would rule that out... a car back firing, someone lighting firecrackers.
Then I heard someone from the birthday party say "This is real." They didn't yell it, they just said it in a normal tone, but I was close enough to hear them say it.
I looked up to the road and noticed a white truck at the intersection with little puffs of white smoke building outside the drivers side window. I heard the pop-pop-pop-pop-pop noise continue.
Immediately, I heard a zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz sound go right by my left ear. It was a similar sound to passing a bumble bee while riding your bike. Only I knew it wasn't a bee. It was bullet.
I thought about hitting the ground, but then figured that would only make me harder to hit; it would not protect me. I would be safer hiding behind something solid. There was a large tree just a few steps away so I took cover behind that.
I knew I was safe, but then I started wondering where everyone else was. I knew my mother-in-law was a few steps behind me on the path. I wondered why I didn't think to yell something or pull her behind the tree with me. Fortunately, she followed me behind the tree. I couldn't tell if she understood what was going on or if she was just following what I did.
I looked to my left and saw people pressed up against the side of the restaurant and crouching behind garbage cans. I wondered how long this was going to continue and how long I would be stuck behind that tree. As soon as I thought that, it was all over. The popping had stopped.
I doubt a drive-by shooter would circle the block and come back for more, but I still considered that the time to make my get-away. I just wanted to get away from that park as soon as possible.
I came out from behind the tree and saw my father-in-law with this confused look on his face, standing totally upright, walking slowly through the pavillion where that family was grilling out. He had no idea what was going on.
Thinking back on it, it is kind of funny. Everyone else in the pavillion was laying flat on the ground. A woman was laying on top of her two children. And then there was my father-in-law, standing right in the middle of them, totally oblivious to the fact that there were bullets flying all around of him.
He later said he had been looking on the ground for firecrackers. Funny how my first thought was "gun" and his first thought was "firecrackers." I guess that's proof of how times have changed.
I headed up the hill toward my husband. I passed one man crawling out from behind another tree yelling, "I heard the bullet go right past my head! Mother f***er tried to kill me!"
Yeah, buddy. Me too!
My husband and his 17-year-old brother had been ahead of us on the sidewalk. They had continued walking toward the parking lot through all of this. Husband later said he had seen the smoke by the truck in the intersection too. He knew someone was shooting, but didn't react because all the people ahead of him (in the parking lot) were going on as usual. Those people either hadn't heard the shots or hadn't figured out what was going on.
We figured there were around 8 shots that were fired. I didn't hear any bullets hit anything, but know at least 2 came into the park. We still don't know if the shooter was trying to hit another car, aiming for someone in the park or just firing randomly.
Things I learned from this experience:
You can hear a bullet going through the air if you're within 6 feet of it.
In a stressful situation like that, I can think clearly and but cannot talk.
If you and I are in a dangerous situation together, you are totally screwed. I will act to save myself and won't even think about you until I know I'm safe.
After spending some time on trails, we headed back across the park toward our car to head home. The sidewalk we were following came near a pavillion where a large family was grilling out. They were apparently celebrating a toddlers birthday since there was one very small child and some kid-themed balloons.
As we were walking up the sidewalk, we heard this pop-pop-pop sound. We all continued walking, but were all looking around to figure out what the noise was. My mind immediately thought "gun" but I looked around for things that would rule that out... a car back firing, someone lighting firecrackers.
Then I heard someone from the birthday party say "This is real." They didn't yell it, they just said it in a normal tone, but I was close enough to hear them say it.
I looked up to the road and noticed a white truck at the intersection with little puffs of white smoke building outside the drivers side window. I heard the pop-pop-pop-pop-pop noise continue.
Immediately, I heard a zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz sound go right by my left ear. It was a similar sound to passing a bumble bee while riding your bike. Only I knew it wasn't a bee. It was bullet.
I thought about hitting the ground, but then figured that would only make me harder to hit; it would not protect me. I would be safer hiding behind something solid. There was a large tree just a few steps away so I took cover behind that.
I knew I was safe, but then I started wondering where everyone else was. I knew my mother-in-law was a few steps behind me on the path. I wondered why I didn't think to yell something or pull her behind the tree with me. Fortunately, she followed me behind the tree. I couldn't tell if she understood what was going on or if she was just following what I did.
I looked to my left and saw people pressed up against the side of the restaurant and crouching behind garbage cans. I wondered how long this was going to continue and how long I would be stuck behind that tree. As soon as I thought that, it was all over. The popping had stopped.
I doubt a drive-by shooter would circle the block and come back for more, but I still considered that the time to make my get-away. I just wanted to get away from that park as soon as possible.
I came out from behind the tree and saw my father-in-law with this confused look on his face, standing totally upright, walking slowly through the pavillion where that family was grilling out. He had no idea what was going on.
Thinking back on it, it is kind of funny. Everyone else in the pavillion was laying flat on the ground. A woman was laying on top of her two children. And then there was my father-in-law, standing right in the middle of them, totally oblivious to the fact that there were bullets flying all around of him.
He later said he had been looking on the ground for firecrackers. Funny how my first thought was "gun" and his first thought was "firecrackers." I guess that's proof of how times have changed.
I headed up the hill toward my husband. I passed one man crawling out from behind another tree yelling, "I heard the bullet go right past my head! Mother f***er tried to kill me!"
Yeah, buddy. Me too!
My husband and his 17-year-old brother had been ahead of us on the sidewalk. They had continued walking toward the parking lot through all of this. Husband later said he had seen the smoke by the truck in the intersection too. He knew someone was shooting, but didn't react because all the people ahead of him (in the parking lot) were going on as usual. Those people either hadn't heard the shots or hadn't figured out what was going on.
We figured there were around 8 shots that were fired. I didn't hear any bullets hit anything, but know at least 2 came into the park. We still don't know if the shooter was trying to hit another car, aiming for someone in the park or just firing randomly.
Things I learned from this experience:
You can hear a bullet going through the air if you're within 6 feet of it.
In a stressful situation like that, I can think clearly and but cannot talk.
If you and I are in a dangerous situation together, you are totally screwed. I will act to save myself and won't even think about you until I know I'm safe.