Elena

Now eventually Steve and Ellen made a move to run and things just erupted into chaos. Steve said, I heard two shots and then I felt like somebody hit my neck with a sledgehammer. I remember falling to the ground with a buzzing sensation in my arm and everything was slowing down. The bullet had ripped through Steve's neck and severed an artery in his arm and then had settled in his sternum.

Now eventually Steve and Ellen made a move to run and things just erupted into chaos. Steve said, I heard two shots and then I felt like somebody hit my neck with a sledgehammer. I remember falling to the ground with a buzzing sensation in my arm and everything was slowing down. The bullet had ripped through Steve's neck and severed an artery in his arm and then had settled in his sternum.

Oh my God. So he went unconscious. I'm sure. When he regained consciousness a few moments later, the first thing he saw was Ellen laying beside him and her head was resting in a pool of blood. Oh. The man who had shot them both looked like he was walking away, and Steve knew if he didn't stop him, they might never find him, and he might hurt someone else.

Oh my God. So he went unconscious. I'm sure. When he regained consciousness a few moments later, the first thing he saw was Ellen laying beside him and her head was resting in a pool of blood. Oh. The man who had shot them both looked like he was walking away, and Steve knew if he didn't stop him, they might never find him, and he might hurt someone else.

So despite being incredibly injured, Steve forced himself to his feet. Oh my God. He's been shot in the neck and an artery has been severed.

So despite being incredibly injured, Steve forced himself to his feet. Oh my God. He's been shot in the neck and an artery has been severed.

Because he doesn't want somebody else to get hurt.

Because he doesn't want somebody else to get hurt.

He forces himself to his feet and slowly starts walking after him, walking up the trail in the direction of the observation deck. And he hadn't made it very far before he found a father and son hiking the trail. And he's like hysterical and he's slipping into like shock at this point. Yeah. And Steve did his best to explain to them what happened, but he wasn't making a lot of sense.

He forces himself to his feet and slowly starts walking after him, walking up the trail in the direction of the observation deck. And he hadn't made it very far before he found a father and son hiking the trail. And he's like hysterical and he's slipping into like shock at this point. Yeah. And Steve did his best to explain to them what happened, but he wasn't making a lot of sense.

And Lee Fritz, who was one of the guys, said he told us that he and his girlfriend had been shot and he thought she was dead.

And Lee Fritz, who was one of the guys, said he told us that he and his girlfriend had been shot and he thought she was dead.

Which like I can't even imagine having to say that. No. So with the help of some other hikers...

Which like I can't even imagine having to say that. No. So with the help of some other hikers...

fritz managed to get steve to the observation deck where they called the police and later several witnesses on the trail that day recalled hearing the gunshots and passing a man in a gold jacket as they rushed to see what the commotion was about it's also just so crazy to think that like so many people that day were just out for hikes like that guy that steve ran into is just on a hike with his son yeah and like think of like the headspace that they're in like they're like oh

fritz managed to get steve to the observation deck where they called the police and later several witnesses on the trail that day recalled hearing the gunshots and passing a man in a gold jacket as they rushed to see what the commotion was about it's also just so crazy to think that like so many people that day were just out for hikes like that guy that steve ran into is just on a hike with his son yeah and like think of like the headspace that they're in like they're like oh

nature beautiful yeah and this guy just woke up from being shot next to his girlfriend seeing his girlfriend shot next to him so two of the hikers from the observation deck ventured out into the woods and found ellen's body she was dead um she had been killed by a gunshot wound to her head oh the two men sat with her body until the rescue team arrived which i'm glad they did that

nature beautiful yeah and this guy just woke up from being shot next to his girlfriend seeing his girlfriend shot next to him so two of the hikers from the observation deck ventured out into the woods and found ellen's body she was dead um she had been killed by a gunshot wound to her head oh the two men sat with her body until the rescue team arrived which i'm glad they did that

In the meantime, Steve was loaded into Lee Fritz's camper van, and they started their way down to the hospital. So, like, all these campers are, like, helping each other out. When they reached the parking lot, Fritz spotted a man driving a Volkswagen Beetle that appeared to be stuck in the mud. Fritz said, something about the rearview mirror caught my eye. It was extra large for the car.

In the meantime, Steve was loaded into Lee Fritz's camper van, and they started their way down to the hospital. So, like, all these campers are, like, helping each other out. When they reached the parking lot, Fritz spotted a man driving a Volkswagen Beetle that appeared to be stuck in the mud. Fritz said, something about the rearview mirror caught my eye. It was extra large for the car.