'Just well placed at a really awful time': Highland Park winery served as a safe haven for crowds during the July 4 mass shooting
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- New video shows panicked people in Highland Park running into a business as shots were fired into the crowds outside.
A Highland Park a business owner shared the footage. As CBS 2's Sabrina Franza reported, it was a small business whose actions that day were anything but small.
"Feel like I was just well placed at a really awful time," said Matt Phillips.
A steady stream of strollers and panicked parents flooded into Phillips' winery as shots were fired just next door. Phillips had his doors open.
"Images kind of start coming back and you just start remembering what you saw," he said.
Lynfred Winery, 1823 St. Johns Ave., opened its tasting room a month ago just next to the parade route. They were serving on Monday morning, welcoming Highland Park in for mimosas.
"It was an opportunity to engage with members of the community," Phillips said. "It was right about that time when we heard the gunshots."
He said he never expected to be a safe haven.
"Basement. Storage area. The office," Phillips said.
He hid about 40 people, kids and adults, who caught on camera running inside.
"We locked the door and just waited in disbelief for a while," Phillips said.
Now two days later, that same community is coming in for a glass of wine, to say thank you.
"That's the part that's overwhelming. Because all I wanted to do is get people in here and keep them safe," Phillips said.
For comfort. For conversation. For community.
"There's some life after this that we can look forward," Philips said.
The winery reopened its doors on Wednesday to give this community a returned sense of normalcy, in reality, they gave Highland Park so much more.