Teen at Six Flags during Sunday's shooting recalls running for cover
GURNEE (CBS) – Six Flags Great America is back open for business after two people were shot and another person was hurt in the parking lot of the amusement park around 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Hundreds of people inside the park ran for their safety. CBS 2's Marissa Perlman spoke with one teenage boy who was inside the park and used his instincts to keep himself and his friends safe.
Those teens said it was a night they will never forget. Police said this was not a random act and are calling this shooting targeted.
As of Monday afternoon, no suspect is in custody, but less than 24 hours later, one south suburban couple is just grateful their son made it home OK.
It's a call no parent wants to get. Tina and Brian Donda had dropped off their son Charlie and his two friends at the park in the afternoon.
It was supposed to be and end-of-summer adventure.
"The first thing he said was, 'We heard gunshots. We're hiding,'" said Tina.
Charlie recalled, "I was just thinking it was fireworks and then we saw everyone running, so we ran," adding he didn't know in the moment where the shooting was.
They hopped a fence and hid inside the park. Channeling their active shooter training from school, the teens said they knew they had to stay calm and find a place to take cover.
"The grass was about three feet tall," Charlie said. "There was just a giant hill and ran down on the tracks and then we found a family that was super nice and we hid with them."
"I always think about that situation, like all the time," said Johnny Webb, who was also at the park. "Anytime I go somewhere, I always think about the worst thing that could possibly happen."
Video circulating on social media shows other parkgoers crouched down and hiding where they had been in line. Police said a white sedan entered the parking lot and drove to the front entrance.
More than one person got out of the car and started shooting, hitting at least two people, before taking off.
For Tina, who was on the phone waiting for the word from her son, all she could think about was this: "Please let him come home."
The shooting brought up questions of security in such an expansive park.
Gurnee Mayor Tom Hood said the police department immediately reacted as if there was an active shooter inside the park, but later learned it was targeted.
"Preventing something that occurs outside in the parking lot is extremely difficult," Hood said. "Something in the park is different. They have protocol at the front entrance that would prevent this from happening."
There are security checks and metal detectors as guests enter, but the public parking lot, where the shooting happened, is less secure.
It's something former FBI agent Phil Andrew said could be re-examined in light of a shooting in a space with so many people crowding at one exit.
"There are still ways of controlling access of vehicles that have not fully identified themself and their purpose of simply participating in the park, even in those after hours, where you're no longer interested in collecting fees for parking," Andrew said.
Also on Monday, Gurnee police said the male and female shooting victims suffered wounds to leg, and were released from the Advocate Condell Medical Center on Sunday night.
No arrests have been made, and police asked those with any information to call 847-599-7000. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Lake County Crime Stoppers by phone at 847-662-2222 or online at lakecountycrimestoppers.com.