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Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting: Witnesses describe harrowing scene

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Police were still searching for a possible second suspect as the investigation into the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting continued early Monday July 29.

Witnesses at the Reunification Center established for victims and festival attendees detail their efforts to help reconnect loved ones and what they saw and heard when the shooting broke out.

What are the ongoing debates about gun control and mental health in the wake of the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting?

On July 28th, 2019, the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California, became the scene of a horrific mass shooting. The festival, which draws thousands of visitors every year to celebrate garlic, food, and music, turned into a nightmare when a lone gunman opened fire, killing three people and injuring 17 others before being shot and killed by police.

Witnesses of the shooting described a chaotic and harrowing scene. One witness, 13-year-old Brynn Ota-Mathews, was at the festival with her mother when the shooting began. She described seeing a man walking around with a large rifle and heard screams and gunshots.

Another witness, Julissa Contreras, had been working at a booth at the festival when she saw people running and heard gunshots. She immediately took cover and called her sister, who was also working at the festival, to make sure she was safe. “It was just chaos,” she said.

Others described the moments after the shooting began as a blur of people running and screaming, trying to hide or find loved ones. Some were trampled in the crowds while others were hit by bullets or shrapnel.

Emergency responders arrived within minutes to the scene, doing their best to triage the wounded and get them to hospitals. Despite the quick response by law enforcement, 3 people lost their lives and 17 people were injured, some critically.

The Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting is yet another tragic example of gun violence in America. The event has sparked yet another round of debates over gun control and mental health. President Trump has called for tougher laws to keep guns out of the hands of those who are mentally unfit, while gun control advocates argue for stricter background checks and regulations on assault weapons.

As the nation mourns the loss of life at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, it is important to remember the lives lost and the families who have been forever changed by this senseless act of violence. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their loved ones, and we must continue to work towards a solution to end the epidemic of gun violence in America.