Shooting at TJ's in Silverlake

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klkla
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Shooting at TJ's in Silverlake

Post by klkla »

This was one of the strangest moments in my life and definitely strangest in a grocery store.

I was at Gelson's in Silverlake today waiting at checkout with one customer ahead of me. The store was pretty busy being a Saturday at 3:20 in the afternoon with six or seven checkstands open. Outside we could hear police sirens and then see a high speed chase occurring. Then there was a loud crash sound and all of a sudden bullets were flying everywhere outside.

Almost everyone inside Gelson's hit the floor during the shoot out (at least in the checkout area). When the bullets stopped people started running inside from the parking lot and were screaming and crying. They were telling us we should all get away from the windows. Needless to say there was a lot of panicking but almost everyone went to the back and waited it out.

Luckily, none of the customers inside Gelson's was injured. It took a while before any of us knew what was going on outside. The front doors of the store were locked and we waited it out. At 3:52 CBS2 sent out a text alert saying that there was a shooting at Trader Joe's across the street. Later we learned that hostages were being held there. This was the first official confirmation we had. The next three hours was surreal. Most people waited In the bar area because we could watch the live T.V. coverage, which started around 4:15. It was so strange to watch it on T.V. and then look to the left and see it unfolding live outside the windows.

The store did let people leave through the backroom, but if your car was in the parking lot or you needed to go east of the store you pretty much had to wait it out because the streets were closed off.

I thank god I wasn't inside Trader Joe's. And my heart goes out to the one known victim and all the people that had to live through that horror inside TJ's. We could see people escaping from the emergency exits periodically and we were all helpless. Members of the SWAT team came into Gelson's at one point with their rifles in hand. That shook some people up (they were trying to see if the roof would be helpful to them but didn't stay).

I took some videos and will try to post them somehow later. They're not very good but show the perspective from those of us inside the store.
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Re: Shooting at TJ's in Silverlake

Post by rwsandiego »

My God, that's terrible. I am glad you are OK.

Here's a link to the LA Times story.
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Re: Shooting at TJ's in Silverlake

Post by SamSpade »

Klkla, glad you are okay. Always interesting to read a first person account.

As someone who was in a major shopping mall where a "shooting scare" happened (previous history of shooting), it's terrifying but relieving when you get that all clear.

I'm sorry to read that one random victim lost her life.
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Re: Shooting at TJ's in Silverlake

Post by storewanderer »

Yikes that is an experience to say the least. Worst for those who were at the TJ's.
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Re: Shooting at TJ's in Silverlake

Post by klkla »

storewanderer wrote: July 21st, 2018, 10:29 pm Yikes that is an experience to say the least. Worst for those who were at the TJ's.
Yes. And I hope that I was clear that in Gelson's we had #1 initial fear of unknown followed by #2 mild angst while the situation was resolved.

At Trader Joe's they had #1 terror followed by #2 three hours of more terror.
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Re: Shooting at TJ's in Silverlake

Post by storewanderer »

klkla wrote: July 22nd, 2018, 7:41 pm
storewanderer wrote: July 21st, 2018, 10:29 pm Yikes that is an experience to say the least. Worst for those who were at the TJ's.
Yes. And I hope that I was clear that in Gelson's we had #1 initial fear of unknown followed by #2 mild angst while the situation was resolved.

At Trader Joe's they had #1 terror followed by #2 three hours of more terror.
In some countries a metal detector is kind of standard to enter a mall, etc. I am afraid that may be where this is headed.
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Re: Shooting at TJ's in Silverlake

Post by klkla »

storewanderer wrote: July 22nd, 2018, 9:46 pm In some countries a metal detector is kind of standard to enter a mall, etc. I am afraid that may be where this is headed.
probably, although that would not have made a difference in this case.

The gunman was being chased by the police and crashed about four feet in front of the Trader Joe's entrance. He started firing from the car and then ran into the store with his gun already out.
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Re: Shooting at TJ's in Silverlake

Post by storewanderer »

klkla wrote: July 23rd, 2018, 12:36 pm
storewanderer wrote: July 22nd, 2018, 9:46 pm In some countries a metal detector is kind of standard to enter a mall, etc. I am afraid that may be where this is headed.
probably, although that would not have made a difference in this case.

The gunman was being chased by the police and crashed about four feet in front of the Trader Joe's entrance. He started firing from the car and then ran into the store with his gun already out.
I agree it would not have made a difference in this case.
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Re: Shooting at TJ's in Silverlake

Post by submariner »

While I am glad @klka is safe, given the events that transpired and the potential for emotions to get riled over the circumstances of the Assistant Manager's death, I feel the usefulness of this thread has reached its end. I will be proactively locking this thread. Thanks for understanding.
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