Gunmen 'Didn't Say a Word' Before San Bernardino Shooting, Survivor's Parents Say
— -- A shooting survivor who was at the Inland Regional Center said the gunmen entered the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California without saying a word and opened fire, her parents told ABC News, adding that she suffered from several gunshot wounds.
Her parents said they didn't know the extent of her injuries because she was just coming out of surgery at the Loma Linda University Medical Center. She was at the facility facility for the developmentally disabled to attend a work luncheon for the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, they said.
Family members of shooting witnesses shared details of what was happening inside the facility, where a San Bernardino Department of Public Health function was being held, and the difficulties of finding out whether or not their loved ones were unharmed.
Chad Nwadike, of the San Bernardino Environmental Department, went to the men's room before the shooting started.
"While in there, there was a very big sound. Like Boom!," he said. "We thought something fell down. I didn’t know someone was shot."
At that point "Someone yelled: lie down, lie down. He was pointing at a bullet hole in the wall. We started hearing some shots.
"We got down until the police came."
A man named Marcos Aguilera told ABC News affiliate KABC that his wife was just evacuated from the facility, which cares for people with developmental disabilities.
"The guy came in next to her office and I guess started shooting," Aguilera said, adding that his wife and others locked themselves in her office.
"She said all she heard was the shots, she didn't get a chance to see anything," Aguilera added. "She texted me, she said that she was inside, there's a shooter inside shooting...she said I love you and I came over here."
Terry Pettit's daughter, who was inside the building, sent him a text saying there was a shooting at her work and people were shot. She is currently hiding inside of an office.
"Pray for us," the text read.
Paul Lacroix said his son Casey, who works in the building, texted him about the shooting.
"They've got a good handle on it. It's not good seeing all the ambulances coming in and then going out," according to Lacroix's text.
Mark Scroggins’ daughter was also inside the building when the shooting started.
“She’s shaken up,” Scroggins said. “My loved one is safe and they need to do something. This is crazy, there are just too many shootings, too much bad stuff going on there.”
Gabriel Torres’ wife was on the phone with him while the shooting unfolded, hiding under a desk, Torres told KABC.
“She was terrified and I was terrified as well,” Torres said.
His wife, whose office is right by the window, watched as police hid behind palm trees and cars, he said.
“When [the police] were going in, that’s when she got even more scared,” Torres said. “She was horrified.”
Jose Nunez told KABC he called his wife’s cousin, who works inside the center, to invite her to a party this weekend.
“She said ‘There’s a shooter, there’s a shooter, Jose,’ and she hung up,” Nunez said.
He called her back but got no answer. He later texted her and she told him she was safe and at the golf club.
Chelsea and Kate Manfred’s grandmother was inside as well, on the third floor, when the fire alarm went off, Chelsea Manfred told KABC. She said her grandmother tried to leave but was pushed into a closet with the lights turned off until police knocked on the door.
“As soon as she got outside she was able to call us,” Chelsea Manfred said. “We just want her home.”
Kenny Dean said he was texting back and forth with a friend inside of the building, who asked him to give her mom a call to let her know she was OK.
Dean’s friend told him, “I’m just really scared."
“Your heart’s in your throat,” Dean replied, adding that he felt “a lot of anxiety.”
The San Bernardino Police Department said at least 14 people were dead and another 14 were injured in the shooting.
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