Too Close For Comfort.

May 5^th- Today was scary. I have never been so close to something so dangerous and I never want to be again. I went to work knowing where we were located today was a little sketchy. But I dismissed the thought of thinking anything was going to happen. Boy, was I wrong. As I was taking pictures of city league baseball players I heard what I immediately thought were gun shots, but they sounded more like fireworks so I thought nothing of it. “They sounded far off anyways, if they even were gun shots,” I reassured myself. I carried on taking pictures- then noticed little kids were screaming and shrieking outside. I went out of my photography tent to see what was going on and my coworker said, “The guy is laying on the ground. Micheal (another co-worker) saw him fall.”

 I immediately pulled out my phone and starting texting my family asking for prayers of safety. I had no idea where the suspect was- he could still be close by and armed. I also didn’t know how close the victim was. He could be across the street, in the middle of the street, or worse; on the same grass that I’m standing. I looked up and saw the entire park including kids completely stopped and facing the same direction towards the scene. “Come see Mandy!” My co-worker Joe suggested. “Oh no, I’m good. Thanks,” And with that- I turned back into my tent. The ambulance shows up, the police show up, and then the news. I was interviewed by Channel 2: http://connect2utah.com/news-story/?nxd_id=145057&shr=addthis

And this is my co-worker Micheal on Channel 5: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=15430163

After everything was over and the body was taken away but the evidence was still present I got up the courage to see just how close it was. My heart sunk when I realized the only thing between me and the victim was a stretch of grass, and a waist high chain link fence- less than 50 yards from my photography tent. I’m glad no one else was hurt and that when the gun was fired it was aimed away from the park. If he was flipped, bullets could have easily hit me. 

It wasn't long until it became a joke for work. Micheal and I wanted to re-do our interviews and be more like this guy " Whale- OBVIOUSLY there is a shooter here in Rose Park, so you better hide yo kids, hide yo wife, and hide yo husbands because they be bustin' a cap on everyone out here..." HAHA: