Minnesota Natives Who Witnessed Terror Attacks Share Their Stories
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minnesota native who witnessed one of the terrorist attacks in Paris is sharing her story.
Margot Schmorak, who now lives in California, is in Paris on business. She was having dinner at a restaurant less than a block from one of the shootings.
"We actually had a mini discussion, we said 'were those gunshots,'" Schmorak said.
Schmorak said she and the other people who had been sitting outside the restaurant ran inside to take cover.
"Kind of said let's get inside everybody, there are gun shots," she said.
She hid in the restaurant's basement for about fifteen minutes, but said it felt like hours.
"It felt like it took a long time," Schmorak said.
When she came out, it was chaos. Fear sunk in.
"People realized the gravity of the situation when police showed up with weapons on them and bullet proof vests on," Schmorak said.
WCCO also spoke with Minneapolis native Emily Bisbach, who is in Paris working as a tour guide.
"It's not until an hour later you're really grasping the effect of what really happened," Bisbach said.
Bisbach says the major tour sites in Paris were closed Saturday. The French people were, however, already trying to get back to everyday life—in spite of the tragedy.
"That's just kind of the vibe you're getting, just a solid, united front," Bisbach said.