"shoot" the mall...

today at work,

i was taking some ladies to their table

and happened to notice their shopping bags.

trying to make conversation, i asked if they found anything good.

they said, "oh you don't want to go over there now,

we were just evacuated. there was a shooting."

i was shocked and weirded out.

i walk back up to the host stand, looking for the manager

and see all the people exiting the mall.

we see police cars and swat cars

driving all along the frontage road.

and everyone is in shock.

we then decided, after many phone calls, to lock the doors.

we put up a sorry for the inconvenience sign and make sure no one comes in

but the patrons can exit.

we go outside and bunch of people who work at the nordstrom

are standing on our sidewalk.

we get beverages and tell them to wait inside if wanted.

then, we have a police officer tell us everyone needs to be inside,

and then the chandler mall security stops by and tells us we

no one is to enter or exit the building.

we are on mandatory lock down.

(this was around 130-145ish.)

we turn the news on, and are soon told that there is

a hostage situation at the baja fresh across the street.

most of the nordstrom employees and the firebirds employees

are all watching the news intently, trying to find out what's happening

across the street. we are lucky they didn't come into the bird.

meanwhile, since we have no walk in customers

we make some lobster queso, ranch rings and potato skins

for the nordstrom employees to munch on.

we continue to watch the news, and about an hour and half later

the hostages at baja fresh are released and the gunman is apprehended.

we think the worst part is over. luckily it kind of was.

the lock down was lifted around 330 and the customers dining leave

and the nordstrom employees stay for a bit

and then leave. all grateful for letting them stay and feed them.

needless to say, it was a very interesting day at firebirds.

(you can read more about the shootings and more details here...)

it was a very strange day.