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WEST COVINA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A West Covina family learned about Saturday’s deadly mass shooting at an In-N-Out in Idaho the same as many did — a news alert on their phone. And for the ensuing moments, time felt like an excruciating, panic-inducing eternity.
Their Southern California-based 24-year-old daughter was part of an “all-star team” assembled to travel to Twin Falls, Idaho, to help train new associates as they open the new location. Around 2:30 p.m. local time, shots rang out as a gunman entered the store.
The Ahern’s were alerted to the shooting through the Citizen App, and knowing their daughter was there, they awaited a phone call from their daughter. It never came, at least from her phone, they said.
While the shooting was active, their daughter fled the scene without her cell phone, delaying her ability to contact family to let them know she was OK. She was later able to reach her parents from a friend’s phone, but for Nikki and Micheal Ahern, that wait was excruciating.
“All she could get out [on the initial phone call] was ‘mommy, mommy, mommy,’ crying, ‘mommy, I’m alive’,” Nikki said.
Micheal said he asked his daughter if police officers had arrived yet and if she was safe, which she said yes to, but added that a co-worker had been shot.
The Twin Falls Police Department later confirmed that three died and seven others were wounded after 24-year-old Chad Williams opened fire at the restaurant. In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder said a female employee was one of those killed.
Williams later turned the gun on himself and died.
Even hundreds of miles away, the fear centered in a Southern Idaho city was felt in West Covina.
“[It felt like] being powerless,” Nikki said. “It took a long time for clarification.”
The Ahern’s turned their attention to In-N-Out, saying that the company failed to alert them to the active situation and didn’t provide crucial information.
“There’s got to be a protocol,” Micheal said. “Like, you have an emergency contact list, right?”
CBS LA reached out to In-N-Out to ask about those protocols, but is yet to hear back.
The Ahern’s said their daughter still is without a cell phone, but she’s expected to return to Southern California on Monday.
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