Shooting at my work tonight...

toots99
toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
in Motivation and Support
So I am a waitress, I work at a nice, upscale pizza restaurant. Tonight, I was working, and it was F'ing busy. At one point, a table in the station next to mine starts bugging me. This one guy came up to me while I was at my own table, he TAPS ME ON THE SHOULDER WHILE I'M SPEAKING TO SOMEONE (side note, never ever do that), and demands me to bring them something. I coolly replied "Yes, your server will get that for you", thinking that they must have us confused. I turned back to the table that I was speaking to and they said "Wow, that was rude!" It happens. Later on, I help the server (who was brand new) to clear that table of their plates.

Fast forward about 30 minutes, and I see my managers running through the restaurant, which they'd never do, no matter how busy. One is on the phone and one is yelling "I've already called 911." I'm thinking someone has had a heart attack. It's happened before. Suddenly they tell us "There were shots fired, stay in the back of the restaurant, don't let your tables leave, stop everything." I look outside and see people running, people getting down. A woman had run back inside the restaurant after leaving, saying "My friend's been shot!" There was a woman shot in her car outside. My manager runs outside, and tries to help the woman who has been shot in the neck by taking off the scarf from her own neck and wrapping it around the woman's neck to help stop the bleeding. Another manager from the restaurant next to us had already shown up and took off his shirt to help yet another woman stop bleeding. There was a man on the ground, someone not related to the other two at all, an innocent passerby, already dead on the ground. The two women that were shot were at the table that had annoyed me earlier.

All this is going on, cops are showing up, no one's allowed to leave the building. It was the most insane thing. Things like this don't happen in little Grapevine, TX. The friends of the people who were shot, they were in the front of our restaurant, crying hysterically while talking to the police, head in their hands crying...my manager was in the office sobbing saying "I just saw someone die..."

The worst thing is, these were just normal people. Enjoying pizza and good company. That's it. The next thing, they have a f*cking bullet in the neck. Or they're lying dead on the ground. I saw these people. i got annoyed by them! Then they were f*cking SHOT minutes later! The other tables I had eventually found out what was going on, and were freaked out but still sort of went on as usual. At the same time I was thinking: "Cheesecake? You''re f*cking asking me about CHEESECAKE at a time like this? some guy is DEAD outside and you want cheesecake?!" and then I'd think to myself "Dude, life is short....get yourself some damn cheesecake!"

I don't know...man, just enjoy yourself, live your life, savor every minute. You never know what or who can change things in the blink of an eye.

Never take a minute for granted.

Replies

  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 22,114 Member
    Oh my gosh, how frightening! Any idea who the shooter was?
  • jellyfishjen
    jellyfishjen Posts: 1,787 Member
    This is hard for you. Be kind to yourself and ask for hugs and give hugs.
  • Trinketona
    Trinketona Posts: 190
    Scary!!!!!!!!!!! but true that we take things for granted. I just saw the movie IN TIME, with Justin Timberlake. Every morning he only has one day to live. I tripped me out but at the same time imagine if we knew we only had 23 hours to live from the point we woke up. We would never take anything for granted every breath we take and everything we see would be so much more different knowing that we only have a couple of hours more to live. We never know when our number is up and take EVERYTHING for granted. God bless the family of those people. :frown:
  • ladytinkerbell99
    ladytinkerbell99 Posts: 970 Member
    That is scary. How are you feeling? What is going on in your mind? Are you able to sleep? I am really sorry that you had to experience such a life alternating experience.
  • manvsfood
    manvsfood Posts: 175 Member
    Winewood? I just read that on WFAA (I live in Arlington), It's so shocking, it being so close! Such a tragedy... you can be enjoying time with your loved ones, feeling safe and protected... then something like this happens. What a world we live in? I seriously hope cops finds the monster who did it!



    Although the victim died so tragically, I hope he/she is at peace now.
  • littlesizzler
    littlesizzler Posts: 5
    I totally understand the thought process you are having.... A couple years ago my roommate and I were looking for a bigger place to rent and while we were standing on the front porch of a house we were really interested in we heard a loud bang.... the next thing we know a man came running around the corner and yelled I've been shot.... we were about 4 houses away from him... we took off towards him and he was holding his guts in his hand.... come to find out later she worked with someone whose husband knew this guy.... needless to say it is a scary thing and does make you rethink your priorities and treasure life.... (no we did NOT rent that place... we actually moved to a completely different town)....

    Make sure you talk to someone about how this affected you, my roommate is a mental health therapist and she had panic attacks for awhile afterwards from the trauma of seeing this.
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
    Winewood? I just read that on WFAA (I live in Arlington), It's so shocking, it being so close! Such a tragedy... you can be enjoying time with your loved ones, feeling safe and protected... then something like this happens. What a world we live in? I seriously hope cops finds the monster who did it!



    Although the victim died so tragically, I hope he/she is at peace now.

    Apparently the monster who did it, shot himself at the scene. And yes, Winewood was the restaurant mentioned, though that's not where I work or where the customers were dining, that's one of the four restaurants that are within 50 feet of each other. They were parked closest to that restaurant.
  • joianne
    joianne Posts: 6 Member
    Some people dont care about others, I work at a restauruant and there was a shooting at mine also. the guy was shot in the leg and we had all the rescue crew there and police, this was inside the restauruant. While this is all going on, we closed for the safety and well being of my team members and guests. We had one table that just didnt get it and wanted to know why we wouldnt serve them, and they were the table right NEXT to the shooting. I just dont get people.
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
    That is scary. How are you feeling? What is going on in your mind? Are you able to sleep? I am really sorry that you had to experience such a life alternating experience.

    I always feel almost more upset for the "outsiders" involved, like my boss. She'll never be able to get out of her head the image of holding her scarf around a woman's neck as she lay there bleeding. She was in our office afterwards, sobbing. That's the stuff that kills me.
  • ADJ4665
    ADJ4665 Posts: 9 Member
    How very very scary, I am just so glad that you and no body else was hurt and that was very smart moves of your bosses to do what they did to stop the bleeding... AND I AM SO SORRY YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS AT WORK. AND MY PRAYERS ARE WITH TEH FAMILY MEMEBERS OF THE ONES WHO WERE SHOT AND ALL THE EMPLOYEES
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
    I don't want to go to work today. :ohwell:
  • becoming_a_new_me
    becoming_a_new_me Posts: 1,860 Member
    Oh Toots honey...I am so sorry you went through that! Giant hugs from me! Don't go to work, just take care of yourself.
  • MichelleV1990
    MichelleV1990 Posts: 806 Member
    Thank God, you and your coworkers are alright! It's amazing at how insignificant human beings have become to one another. So much is taken for granted, as if we are indivincible. Gone are the days when the father earns enough money so the wife can stay home to love and guide their children, and give them a good sense of family values. Community involvement these days is usually court-ordered. Video games are becoming more violent and children are desensitized to the misfortune of others. God is no longer the center of the home. It's truly a sad situation.
  • TotalTiger
    TotalTiger Posts: 74
    I don't want to go to work today. :ohwell:

    It might be worth talking to someone professionally. Were you offered counselling? Even if you weren't, it might help you to have some. Take care.
  • lorig_2000
    lorig_2000 Posts: 106 Member
    What a terrible thing to witness. Big HUGS for you. Like people have said, it would be a good idea to get some counselling. Talk your boss into it as well.

    Take care of yourself.
  • hoosier_red
    hoosier_red Posts: 57
    I'm in Plano -- heard about the shooting this morning. I'm VERY glad you're all right, and my heart goes out to the victims and their families, as well as everyone who was traumatized by this.
  • zookeepersuzy
    zookeepersuzy Posts: 111
    I don't want to go to work today. :ohwell:

    It might be worth talking to someone professionally. Were you offered counselling? Even if you weren't, it might help you to have some. Take care.

    I'm so sorry you had to witness that. I agree with the poster above about seeking some counseling. Anxiety is totally normal after such a traumatic event, but don't let it control you.
  • Barbara98
    Barbara98 Posts: 60 Member
    I'm so sorry you had to go through this tragedy at the hands of a very troubled individual. Its unfortunate that we have to live in a society where you never know whats going to happen. Thats why its so important to live each day as if its your last. Wackos kill in schools, restaurants, malls, you just never know. I hope you have someone to talk to in this tough time. Its good to talk about what you went though to help you though the healing process. God Bless :heart:
  • Evelyn_Gorfram
    Evelyn_Gorfram Posts: 706 Member
    I don't want to go to work today. :ohwell:

    I bet you don't! :noway:
    (Is your restaurant even open today? Would people show up? *I* sure wouldn't want to eat pizza right next to a crime scene.)

    But if you do have to go in today, it will be an opportunity to "get right back on that horse" and to work a shift in which nothing terrible is going to happen. You'll be able to share your reactions with the other staff there (and probably many of the customers). And you'll be able to prove to yourself how strong you are.

    (On a practical note, you and everyone else will probably be doing some crying. Wear waterproof mascara, bring good-quality tissues, and drink lots of water - crying can be really dehydrating.)

    And on a somewhat crass note, the tips might be extra generous. :wink:

    (Edit: I wrote all the above in a spirit of being practical - I hope it doesn't come across as glib.

    Your poor dear. You must be shook up and traumatized, both. Of course you should be at home with the bedcovers pulled over your head, or in a counseller's office, or sitting quietly next to the calmest and prettiest lake or stream you know. But if staying away from work is just not an option, that's what the above advice is for.

    Keep a good heart, and keep it strong.)
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
    What a terrible thing to witness. Big HUGS for you. Like people have said, it would be a good idea to get some counselling. Talk your boss into it as well.

    Take care of yourself.

    They are having a grief/trauma counselor come in on Tuesday and talk to us. It was really eerie walking into work today, walking past the spot where someone laid there dead a mere 12 hours before. And now there were customers parked in that spot.

    Luckily, none of my customers asked me about it, but I know other servers who had tables that were gossipy, like "Were you here when it happened? Did you see it? What was it like?" It was maddening. I would have said "Um, traumatic, that's what it is STILL like. How about someone shoot up people at your work and then I come in and interview YOU?!" Have some respect, have some tact.

    Thanks for listening, people. I'll be okay, just takes some time to process...:flowerforyou:
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member

    But if you do have to go in today, it will be an opportunity to "get right back on that horse" and to work a shift in which nothing terrible is going to happen. You'll be able to share your reactions with the other staff there (and probably many of the customers). And you'll be able to prove to yourself how strong you are.

    And on a somewhat crass note, the tips might be extra generous. :wink:

    (Edit: I wrote all the above in a spirit of being practical - I hope it doesn't come across as glib.)

    Not glib at all. No offense taken.

    But you're right, it did help to be able to share my reactions and listen to others talk about it. I spoke privately with my boss and told her how it killed me to see her sobbing as she told me of how she tried to help stop the one woman from bleeding. She doesn't even remember telling me that.
  • Evelyn_Gorfram
    Evelyn_Gorfram Posts: 706 Member
    ... it did help to be able to share my reactions and listen to others talk about it.

    I'm glad my advice came across in the spirit intended, and - much more importantly - that you got through yesterday okay. :)

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