As a witness to and victim of the massacre that occurred in Highland Park on July 4, I will do whatever I can to ban the sale of assault weapons and the associated ammunition. This attack happened in an instant and destroyed the lives, families, peace and freedoms we are entitled to on the public streets of that community.
My family, including my husband, my daughter, my son-in-law and two precious grandchildren, walked in the children’s and pet parade. Once we passed the viewing stand, we planned to find a spot to view the main parade, which had assembled behind us. My daughter suggested we sit in the plaza, and I suggested we go a bit further to sit in a shady spot. That spontaneous decision may have saved our lives. The very next corner was not targeted by the shooter.
The families seated in the plaza could not defend themselves or protect their families from the rapid fire, intended for war and battlefields. The shooter fired three magazines — 70 rounds of ammunition — at the innocent people below.
So many people were maimed and killed by him and his weapons. We escaped through a shop.