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Read the Eerie Final Blog Post From One of the Reported Shooting Victims — Which Details Her Reaction to Being at Another Mass Shooting

It’s reported that one of the victims in the Colorado theater shooting is a young journalist named Jessica Ghawi. She apparently moved to Denver to pursue a career as a sportscaster.

Eleven other people were tragically killed in the Denver suburb of Aurora during a midnight showing of the new Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Shockingly, she was also present at a mall shooting in Toronto roughly six weeks ago that left one dead and several wounded. In a chilling blog post linked from her Twitter account, Ghawi recounts her experience:

I can’t get this odd feeling out of my chest. This empty, almost sickening feeling won’t go away. I noticed this feeling when I was in the Eaton Center in Toronto just seconds before someone opened fire in the food court. An odd feeling which led me to go outside and unknowingly out of harm‘s way. It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around how a weird feeling saved me from being in the middle of a deadly shooting.

Using the pen name Jessica Redfield, she was tweeting just moments before the movie was set to begin. The shooting began at around 12:30 a.m. MDT. This was her last tweet:

Shooting Victim Jessica Ghawis Final Blog Post Before Colorado Batman Shooting

(Source: Twitter)

You can read Ghawi’s full blog post from June 5 here:

I can’t get this odd feeling out of my chest. This empty, almost sickening feeling won’t go away. I noticed this feeling when I was in the Eaton Center in Toronto just seconds before someone opened fire in the food court. An odd feeling which led me to go outside and unknowingly out of harm‘s way. It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around how a weird feeling saved me from being in the middle of a deadly shooting.

What started off as a trip to the mall to get sushi and shop, ended up as a day that has forever changed my life. I was on a mission to eat sushi that day, and when I’m on a mission, nothing will deter me. When I arrived at the Eaton Center mall, I walked down to the food court and spotted a sushi restaurant. Instead of walking in, sitting down and enjoying sushi, I changed my mind, which is very unlike me, and decided that a greasy burger and poutine would do the trick. I rushed through my dinner. I found out after seeing a map of the scene, that minutes later a man was standing in the same spot I just ate at and opened fire in the food court full of people. Had I had sushi, I would’ve been in the same place where one of the victims was found.

My receipt shows my purchase was made at 6:20 pm. After that purchase I said I felt funny. It wasn’t the kind of funny you feel after spending money you know you shouldn’t have spent. It was almost a panicky feeling that left my chest feeling like something was missing. A feeling that was overwhelming enough to lead me to head outside in the rain to get fresh air instead of continuing back into the food court to go shopping at SportChek. The gunshots rung out at 6:23. Had I not gone outside, I would’ve been in the midst of gunfire.

I walked around the outside of the mall. People started funneling out of every exit. When I got back to the front, I saw a police car, an ambulance, and a fire truck. I initially thought that maybe the street performer that was drumming there earlier had a heart attack or something. But more and more police officers, ambulances, and fire trucks started showing up. Something terrible has happened. I overheard a panicked guy say, “There was a shooting in the food court.” I thought that there was no way, I was just down there. I asked him what happened. He said “Some guy just opened fire. Shot about 8 shots. It sounded like balloons popping. The guy is still on the loose.” I’m not sure what made me stick around at this point instead of running as far away from the mall as possible. Shock? Curiosity? Human nature? Who knows.

Standing there in the midst of the chaos all around us, police started yelling to get back and make room. I saw a young shirtless boy, writhing on a stretcher, with his face and head covered by the EMS as they rushed him by us to get him into an ambulance. The moment was surprisingly calm. The EMTs helping the boy weren’t yelling orders and no one was screaming like a night time medical drama. It was as if it was one swift movement to get the boy out of the mall and into the ambulance. That’s when it really hit me. I felt nauseas. Who would go into a mall full of thousands of innocent people and open fire? Is this really the world we live in?

Police start yelling again “GET BACK NOW!” Another stretcher came rushing out of the mall. I saw a man on a stretcher, the blanket underneath him spotted with blood. Multiple gunshot holes in his chest, side, and neck were visible. It’s not like in the movies when you see someone shot and they’re bleeding continuously from the wound. There was no blood flowing from the wounds, I could only see the holes. Numerous gaping holes, as if his skin was putty and someone stuck their finger in it. Except these wounds were caused by bullets. Bullets shot out of hatred. His dark skin on his torso was tinted red with what I assume was his own blood. He was rushed into the ambulance and taken away.

More people joined the crowd at the scene and asked what happened. “There was a shooting in the food court,” kept being whispered through the crowd like a game of telephone. I was standing near a security guard when I heard him say over his walkie talkie, “One fatality.” At this point I was convinced I was going to throw up. I’m not an EMT or a police officer. I’m not trained to handle crime and murder. Gun crimes are fairly common where I grew up in Texas, but I never imagined I’d experience a violent crime first hand. I’m on vacation and wanted to eat and go shopping. Everyone else at the mall probably wanted the same thing. I doubt anyone left for the mall imagined they witness a shooting.

I was shown how fragile life was on Saturday. I saw the terror on bystanders’ faces. I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change. I was reminded that we don’t know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath. For one man, it was in the middle of a busy food court on a Saturday evening.

I say all the time that every moment we have to live our life is a blessing. So often I have found myself taking it for granted. Every hug from a family member. Every laugh we share with friends. Even the times of solitude are all blessings. Every second of every day is a gift. After Saturday evening, I know I truly understand how blessed I am for each second I am given.

I feel like I am overreacting about what I experienced. But I can’t help but be thankful for whatever caused me to make the choices that I made that day. My mind keeps replaying what I saw over in my head. I hope the victims make a full recovery. I wish I could shake this odd feeling from my chest. The feeling that’s reminding me how blessed I am. The same feeling that made me leave the Eaton Center. The feeling that may have potentially saved my life.

(h/t: Twitchy)

Comments (80)

1 2
  • TexasIndependant
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:56pm

    This story Saturates the airways to cover up Janet Napoliatano’s treason perpetrated just days ago. NO News on this Story. Our entire Military has been compromised! Our country has been put at risk. Terrorists have been given top secret clearances by Homeland Security. They download all our government top secret material onto a laptop. War is coming before the Presidential Election! Check out this Video>>>>http://govne.ws/item/Gohmert-Holds-DHS-Secretary-Napolitano-Accountable#

    Report Post »  
    • TeslanEdison
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 4:43pm

      Wow beck should report on this one, I had not heard about this! I am in no way surprised that our classified secrets are being given open access by Obama appointees, so can we impeach him during an election?? He is not protecting or defending the constitution, and he’s been putting the free world at risk with his affections. If anyone thinks for a moment he’s a black president thus cannot be impeached please consider while his wife is black, he is not, his cultural ties are not those of an American of African decent, it’s like saying Arnold Schwarzenegger is black and could be an unimpeachable president, of course if he got a dark tan and the Hawaiian govt to make him a new birth certificate he could probably be president.

      Report Post »  
    • Leevamark2
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 9:34pm

      Love Louie Gohmert! Frank, to the point, accepts no bunk, refuses to play the game, and unfortunately, he didn’t get much support from his collegues during this session. Agrivating. Thanks for posting this!

      Report Post » Leevamark2  
  • reelman1946
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:55pm

    Guns stop guns…not cell phones…what were all those pre-teen kids doing at a midnite violent movie? Sorry parenting strikes again…remember Columbine? Parents ignored ALL the signs for many months.

    Report Post » reelman1946  
  • Vickie Dhaene
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:49pm

    May God give these people killed the Eternal Grace of his love. May God have Mercy on our souls.

    Report Post »  
    • Vladilyich
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 2:25pm

      Can you get serious? Why not dump your pseudo spiritual bull for what happens in reality?

      Report Post » Vladilyich  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 2:31pm

      Amen

      Report Post » 4xeverything  
    • virginiallorca
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 2:43pm

      May God have mercy on our country.

      Report Post »  
    • peggysc57
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 2:59pm

      Ever notice how the mere mention of God sends atheists over the wall? Their unbelief doesn’t bring that out is us believers, but they go ballistic over His name. Huh,,,,go figure. Almost seems like there’s an internal battle going on, huh? :)

      Report Post »  
    • Leevamark2
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 9:38pm

      Peggy- Agreed. But then, we shouldn’t be surprised. Jesus did warn us it would be that way.

      Report Post » Leevamark2  
  • Kupo
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:26pm

    Going to the mall for sushi? Sounds she actually did have a death wish to me.

    Report Post » Kupo  
    • flyalot
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:56pm

      You are an insensitive moron. I hope and pray that you never have to experience this type of tragedy and someone make a joke of it.

      Report Post »  
  • V-MindMeld
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:48pm

    Really man,,know what you are talking about before you post!! you know how stupid you look?

    Report Post »  
  • AllLost
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:42pm

    Spooky strange.

    Just one note to Bloomberg et al…….Canada has strict gun control laws I think.

    Report Post »  
    • xyfbx
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:40pm

      We do have gun control laws in Canada. Hunters have legal guns that are mostly long guns. Criminals have whatever they want. If I wanted a handgun I could get it but would need permits to bring it say from my house to the range, each time I used it. It depends on the province maybe but that was how a gun enthusiast explained it to me once.

      Report Post »  
  • MarauderHD
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:32pm

    She won’t get that chance because she died. Maybe you should grow a brain cell and read articles better before being thoughtless and cruel.

    Report Post »  
  • red_white_blue2
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:02pm

    It was God that gave her that “feeling” because He didn’t want her yet.

    Report Post » red_white_blue2  
    • chips1
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:55pm

      That same feeling comes over me when I realize Obama will use this tragedy to force people into submission. This crisis will not go to waste. Satan is collecting souls as a last minute shopping spree. The store for buying souls is closing.

      Report Post »  
    • donotdrinkthekoolade
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:29pm

      @CHIPS1, you said a mouthful! I couldn’t put it better myself. Satan is on a DRUNKEN spending spree for sure.

      Report Post »  
    • Meyvn
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 7:36pm

      That same feeling cam on me the night Obama was elected. It was even worse the next day. Now were here. The sooner this man is gone the better.

      Report Post » Meyvn  
    • pugczar
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 9:14pm

      Meyvn, I got that feeling when Obama walked out on the stage to begin his speech at the Democratic Convention. I thought “Uh oh”, and didn’t know why. Now I do.

      The biggest mistakes I have made in life were when I ignored that gut feeling.

      Report Post » pugczar  
    • Leevamark2
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 9:49pm

      Red_White_Blue2– Maybe I didn’t understand your point fully, but it seems to be a contradiction. The God I know is all powerful and humans can not thwart any of His plans. Therefore, if He “didn’t want her” (as you said), she’d be alive today. –That said, on the topic of God “wanting her” or not…there is an idea perpetuated all too often, that God allows people to be killed because He “needs them in Heaven”. An absurd idea, contradicted by Scripture. Maybe because humans want to make sense of the evil that God gives humans the freedom to choose. We don‘t really understand that you can’t have love without free will. God understands that perfectly. He decided love was worth it.

      Report Post » Leevamark2  
  • BlasberryStrat
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 11:53am

    Now THAT’S more than coincidence! Her just happening to be at TWO “mass shootings”….and oh my God…she just “happens” to be a Reporter.

    Bye bye guns. This story has saturated media more than Columbine. Oby WILL step in (to save us) and sign his order tonight. After all, it’s Friday, and he will sign it “just after” “our people” leave for the weekend. Now, who’s going to save US from the Occupiers? Oh that’s right. Silly me. Our Lord is going to sign Police State in order to “protect us gunless civilians” from the violence that HE has ordered OWS to start.

    Gotta give him this…I bet he’s won at everything he ever did – cheating or not.

    Report Post » BlasberryStrat  
    • ZengaPA65
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:17pm

      Exactly

      Report Post » ZengaPA65  
    • cac_satx
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:31pm

      Yes please show some respect. She was an amazing friend that you’ll never get to know the pleasure of having. She worked her tail off to become a brilliant reporter and actually moved to CO to chase her dream job. What we have left is memories of her.

      Report Post »  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 11:10am

    …
    Just wish she had trusted her instincts this time, and left the theater before the shooter got there.

    Report Post »  
  • Critters58
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 11:09am

    We must pray each day for divine protection and parents need to pray often for the protection of our children. There is an enemy out there in the spiritual realm who knows his days are numbered and he wants to take down as many as he can before it is over for him! Pray Pray Pray!

    Report Post »  
    • Randyco02
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 11:35am

      that is very insensitive to people who lose loved ones everyday. As if praying will remove death from the earth! We all will die sometime and the last thing we should be doing is blaming those who are left behind for not praying enough

      Report Post »  
    • chips1
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:08pm

      RANDY:
      Maybe you should take a class in reading comprehension. That post didn’t say anything near what you think.

      Report Post »  
    • Randyco02
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:36pm

      “We must pray each day for divine protection and parents need to pray often for the protection of our children.” so if someone doesn’t pray for their children then God will not protect them?

      Report Post »  
    • Vladilyich
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 2:40pm

      May I remind you, that as long ago as 1966 even time Magazine debunked your stqatements: TIME Magazine Cover: Is God Dead? – Apr. 8, 1966 – Religion
      http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19660408,00.html

      Report Post » Vladilyich  
    • beckwasfox
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 3:49pm

      God is not dead. He is risen! Time magazine is no authority. The new and old Testaments are an Authority. There is only one way to the Father and that is through the Son.

      Report Post » beckwasfox  
    • Randyco02
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 4:14pm

      If God exists then he is a pretty cruel God

      Report Post »  
    • geeper35
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 9:04pm

      @Randy. No, God is not cruel or mean. He allows us to have agency. He chooses not to interfere in another’s agency to choose. He doesn’t force us to make correct decisions, He teaches the correct way and allows us to choose for ourselves. I’m sure there were people in that theatre whose lives were cut short, who had a lot more to give in this life, but the shooter has agency, he is free to choose for himself. It‘s cruel and mean that someone else’s agency interfered with those people in that theatre. The same goes for us on a daily basis…do we allow our agency to interfere in the lives of others? What did you do today to infringe on someone else’s agency, to take theirs away so you could get what you wanted? Something to think about…

      Report Post »  
  • dsm
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 11:02am

    Read the article again. She died.

    Report Post »  
  • Leslie Anne
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:55am

    Wow, that reminds me of the movie, “Final Destination”. She missed the one chance at death, so it sought her out a second time.

    Report Post »  
  • DesertRose7
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:53am

    We don’t know the day or the final hour of our lives…do you know the Savior who can set you free?

    Report Post »  
  • TexVet61
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:47am

    not to make this an a nothing story. but a shooting in Canada where they have Gun laws, hmmmm. you mean CRIMINALS don’t follow the laws? I wonder, if maybe the people in the mall had guns if that might have saved lives… I also wonder if someone in the movie had, had the sense to know reality from movies AND they had been armed then someone might have been spared by his marksmenship, and this is why I carry EVERYWHERE I go, becaues you never know when some idiot picks your store, mall, movie house, church to take his anger or whatever…. I wouldn’t doubt that he was a liberal doing this as a “gun nut” to aid in the removal of guns, you know, the sacrifice of one for the cause of the many…. it wont work, they can have my guns when they pry them from my cold dead hands…. and hopefully if someone like this EVER comes into my personal bubble I can stop them instead of them hurting innocents. THAT is what the 2nd Amendment is for, to ARM youself.
    Prayers to the victems and their families, AND LISTEN TO THAT FEELING YOU HAVE, THATS GOD WARNING YOU TO ACT.

    Report Post »  
    • KimberlyTexas
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:58am

      So this incident in America will be broadcast worldwide…why am I just learning about the Canada shooting now, thanks to one of the victims?! May God rest her soul…

      Report Post » KimberlyTexas  
    • jmevans99
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 11:04am

      Amen…

      Report Post » jmevans99  
    • jmevans99
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 11:07am

      Amen….Tragedies like this happen when only the criminals/crazies are armed.

      Report Post » jmevans99  
    • LessControl-MoreFreedom
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 11:52am

      Great point, Canada does have strict gun laws,crimes will be committed by the crazies in the world, my obligation is to protect myself and my family. Gun free zones are as they say, “free to kill zones”. In the U.K., where the gun laws are some of the strictest in Europe, they sell vests for students and adults to protect against knife attacks. We could probably ask Piers Morgan, but I’m quite sure you can still own knives in the U.K.
      To all the Liberals out there, look to your leadership! This happened on your watch, according to the POTUS, no matter if you’re a CEO, CFO, or the president, the buck stops with you! The blame lies with you! But…. we all know that it‘s Bush’s fault, right?

      Report Post » LessControl-MoreFreedom  
    • bitemebiden
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:39pm

      I thought the same thing… that I would have pulled out my pistol and taken this guy out… but I saw he was wearing bullet proof body armor. That would have made anyone that tried to take the dirt bag out an instant target. The first thing I thought of was a failed “fast and furious” take another rout… sounds bad I know but I believe this is the most evil administration I’ve experienced and they want to support Hillary in signing the arms treaty with the UN.

      Report Post » bitemebiden  
    • PRINZ KARL
      Posted on July 23, 2012 at 8:46am

      You can’t schedule emergencies. If you care at all for your loved one’s safety you must be vigilant and aware of all around you. If you carry, commit to it.24/7/365. Texvet you nailed it. Doesn’t matter what his politics were he should have been engaged by armed citizens, body armor or not.

      Report Post »  
  • Apple Bite
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:44am

    Could that “weird, empty” feeling be that of GOD compelling you to move to safety? I think so….

    Report Post » Apple Bite  
    • Travers
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 11:46am

      I believe it is Divine Intervention… Our Guardian Angels working at their best to notify us.. God Bless and Rest her Soul.. People MUST listen to their GUT…it could save your LIFE.

      Report Post »  
  • AmericanStrega
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:41am

    Dude, she’s one of the people killed in that theater in Aurora.

    Report Post »  
  • caveman74
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:32am

    show some respect…this woman died….the story reads “the last blog post of one of the shooting victims”, not one of the shooting witnesses

    Report Post »  
  • WillG
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:30am

    How tragic.

    Report Post » WillG  
  • sawbuck
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:23am

    This story calling her a “victim”..is leaving some confusion..
    ______

    Aurora shooting victim Jessica Ghawi was tweeting just before her “death”;
    was present at mall shooting in Toronto six weeks ago

    Report Post » sawbuck  
    • deeberj
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:46am

      She was at the mall in Toronto for that shooting. She was killed at this theater shooting. It makes perfect sense.

      Report Post » deeberj  
    • donotdrinkthekoolade
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:31pm

      Wow, I don’t mean to be trite, but this sounds like a “Final Destination” story plot. Truth is stranger than fiction.

      Report Post »  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:15am

    Wow, how sad this is………..no words, just prayers.

    Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:12am

    Sometimes when you follow your instinct of trouble coming, listen to it. God be with the victims and the families.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • beekeeper
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:10am

    Wait, so a gunman walked into a shopping mall in Canada and opened fire? I thought these types of attacks only occured in America?

    Maybe Canada needs stricter gun laws, like Norway. Oh, wait, opps…

    Report Post » beekeeper  
  • EqualJustice
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:08am

    I just got a flash of that movie “Final Destination.” RIP

    Report Post » EqualJustice  
  • JAMACAMECRAZYMAN
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:05am

    End of days……………………………

    Report Post »  
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