| DVTimes |
08-04-2009 07:36 PM |
Witnesses: Man Turned Off Lights Before Shooting Inside Gym
Several witnesses told a WTAE Channel 4 Action News crew first at the scene that a man unrecognized by the gym's staff turned off lights and shot people in a Latin dance class in the aerobics center at the time of the shooting. Every witness to whom WTAE Channel 4's Jon Greiner spoke said they didn't realize what they were hearing was gunfire.
A woman in the class at the time of the shooting, identified as Nicole, told WTAE Channel 4 Action News that the class had started about 10 minutes before the gunfire. She said about 30 people -- all women -- were in the class when "a middle-aged white male walked into the class. He had a big gym bag."
"He looked out of place in a class full of women," according to the witness, who said the man put his bag down, turned the lights off and opened fire. "It was horrible. He was 20 feet from me. He got off a lot of shots."
The woman said she ran out of the gym as quickly as she could and got into a stranger's car to escape the gunfire.
Witnesses told WTAE Channel 4's Shannon Perrine that the gym was well attended at the time of the shooting, possibly by as many as 100 people. Witnesses said people inside the gym took off running amid the gunshots.
"I turned around there was one girl shot in the thigh and one girl shot in the back," said Branson Holly, a witness inside the gym at the time of the shooting. "I’m still shaken because I was in spinning class and it could have been my class."
"I heard about 10 shots. I ran out. Most people were yelling," said Brad Bolt, a witness.
Former WTAE Channel 4 Action News photographer Gary O'Data said at 9:10 p.m. that the entire shopping center was shut down. He reported seeing as many as 15 ambulances and at least 20 police cars. Clerks at neighboring stores told WTAE Channel 4 Action News that they locked their doors as a precaution.
"They have the back, front and all four corners of the building cordoned off," WTAE Channel 4's Scott Stiller reported from Sky 4.
Stiller reported seeing a police response from Bridgeville, Scott Township, Collier Township, Upper St. Clair and Mount Lebanon, among others. Stiller described seeing in the shopping center parking lot several people dressed in workout gear speaking with investigators.
Allegheny County police and officials from the Medical Examiner's Office were also called to the scene.
The gym had just opened last summer after a large fire gutted a portion of the shopping center.
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