Sara Berry has an annual tradition in Gurnee, Illinois, America, where she takes the boys on a trip to Six Flags Great America and shares birthday and Christmas gifts with them.
This year, Kelisha Pommering, a mother of one of the boys, visited Berlin’s Lake Green Park with her five nephews, Berry and the rest of the family. Berlin is located approximately 20 miles west of Oshkosh in Green Lake County.
Three individuals sustained injuries in a deliberate gunfire incident, as rounds were discharged on Sunday evening. Fortunately, upon realizing the situation, they found themselves safe inside their car, away from the park.
If Berry had acceded to their demands to prolong the duration by five minutes, the night could have had a considerably distinct outcome.
‘Oh my goodness, what is happening?’
She expressed, “it is imperative for them to depart,” informing them that they pleaded with her to linger at the park for an additional five minutes, while Sunday night descended upon Berry’s young nephews, who range in age from 5 to 12.
Berry said, “They heard a sharp sound of someone banging on my window when they were preparing to head home, and shortly before 8 p.M., They had settled in their car.”
She didn’t think of anything more, but Berry struck her as unusual. Upon leaving the parking lot, they noticed a vehicle parked in front of the park, facing away.
The Gurnee Police Department stated that they had been dispatched to the scene at approximately 7:50 p.M. On Sunday. Berry, a police officer, mentioned that they began their response within three minutes of arriving at the location.
Berry said, “We’re going at a pretty good clip,” as more police cars and ambulances started arriving. They drove away from the park, passing through an unusually slow stoplight.
“I exclaimed to Kelisha … ‘Oh my goodness, what is happening?'”
They had actually heard a gunshot earlier, a sharp banging noise. They realized what they had missed, only three rows away, and started getting phone calls from family members as the boys from Milwaukee and Pommering approached, by the time Berry arrived.
Police reported that another person fired a gun towards the entrance of Great America, while parked in the parking lot, from a white sedan.
More: Three individuals were shot outside the Six Flags Great America amusement park in Gurnee, Illinois.
More: What we are aware of regarding the incident at Six Flags Great America where 3 individuals were harmed.
The 17-year-old and the 19-year-old received medical attention for non-life-threatening injuries at a nearby hospital. However, the third victim, who remains unidentified, chose not to be transported to the hospital. A male teenager, aged 17, from Aurora, Illinois, and a female young adult, aged 19, from Appleton, were both shot, along with a third victim whose identity is currently unknown.
Gurnee authorities instructed visitors and staff to evacuate the premises as the park closed ahead of schedule on Sunday evening, according to Rachel Kendziora, a park representative. Several individuals took refuge on social media until they could safely depart.
The Gurnee Police Department did not identify the victims, but Officer Shawn Gaylor from the Public Information Officer said that they had been discharged from the hospital since returning home to Appleton.
Authorities state that they are currently conducting an investigation into the shooting incident and have not made any arrests at this time.
She stated, “walking amidst the gunfire,” and escaping from the shooting had resulted in the distinction of reaching Berry safely, as five minutes had passed.
If they had remained for those additional five minutes, she ponders what actions she could have taken if this understanding had left her and Pommering “disturbed”.
“Who was I going to intervene, to attempt to safeguard, out of all my nephews?” She exclaimed.
Berry said that the boys, who were mostly doing well, realized what had happened when one of the 12-year-olds said he was scared of death.
“He comprehended that it could have been us,” she stated.
Berry said that she doesn’t want to go to Great America with her nephews next year, and she freaked out a little when she injured herself and everyone hopes she is doing okay, as well as their families.
However, she mentioned that she had felt secure within the park itself and would like to continue her customary practice.
“I understand that eventually we will recover from this,” Berry stated. “We are a powerful family.”