by Adeniyi Abdul New heartwrenching details are emerging about the victims of the theatre shooting in Aurora, Colorado. If the depth of the tragedy had not sunk in properly before, the knowledge that a 3-month old baby was shot at point-blank range will be hard to ignore. Another victim was Jessica Ghawi, who had just moved to Denver last year and had just escaped a mass shooting at a theater in Canada.

“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.”

– an excerpt from her blog about the incident.

More victims of the shooting include 17-year-old Mckayla Hicks who was in an adjoining theater and was hit in the face by a stray bullet which passed through the wall. The bullet is still lodged in her chin and she is still waiting to undergo surgery. Speaking on the shooter she said For how much hurt he’s done to this whole state, this whole nation, I mean, I don’t think he’s hurting yet and I think he needs to.” Another of the shooting victims who died was Navy sailor John Larimer who died saving his girlfriend, Julia Vojtsek.