They were predicting snow overnight. 1 - 3 inches. Of course, they mess up the forecast on a regular basis, but, they could be right... So I decided to do my grocery shopping a day early.
I prefer a store in neighboring Farmington Hills. A further drive, but a larger, well-stocked store. I got home at lunch time, put the groceries away, and heated some leftovers for lunch.
The birds had done quite a number on the suet cakes in the feeder, so I got online to the local garden center to see what they had in stock.
And then the sirens started. I figured there must be an accident close by. The main road is just a few hundred feet away. But then more sirens, and fire trucks. When I came home there were crews on the road trimming trees interfering with electrical power lines. I had even thought I should blog about it. Maybe something had happened to a crew member.
But the noise stopped close by. Was something happening at the synagogue on the corner? I had feared that for years.
So, I got online to see if anything had posted on social media - the watchdogs of the world. And then the phone rang. One of my sons was stuck on the road with dozens of police cars racing by. He got on social media and said there were reports of an active shooter at the synagogue about one half mile down the road - the one I just drove past, Temple Israel. My polling place for elections. They have hosted Michigan Week breakfasts in years past. I attended a wedding there. This is really happening in my community.
The helicopters arrived. After three hours of them buzzing overhead, my head was spinning. Every news channel was reporting on the incident. I had shelter in place alerts on my phone.
If you live in the States, you may have seen coverage. I even saw it on the BBC website. There is no excuse for the hatred and outrage we see in this world. War needs to cease. I do not want it in my neighborhood, or in yours.
These photos were taken from images on my TV.
We saw this on our local news as well. Such a tragedy! There were shots fired recently at a Synagogue in Toronto the other day, and not for the first time. This hatred HAS TO end!
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling of being near an attack. In my case it was a mass shooting April 3, 2009, near where I worked. 13 died (plus the shooter). The sirens, the rumors, the lineup of ambulances, although it didn't compare to what I saw on the news in your community. For millions in the United States, fear has become the new normal. For me I fear for my family in and around New York City, most of whom attend synagogue. And I fear for the world,. Given that our government compares the horror in Iran to a video game, I am without words. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteTo hear about such things on the news is upsetting enough, bit for it to occur close at hand must be awful.
ReplyDeleteI just found out this morning that the shooter was sitting in the parking lot when I drove by on my way home. Too scary for what might have happened. I lived through a workplace shooting years ago. Not sure if I ever blogged about it.
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