“We’re physically okay but this is beyond traumatizing,” Deborah, an Israeli-American resident of a Gaza periphery community visiting Chicago, told the Post.
Deborah, an Israeli-American resident of a Gaza periphery community, was with her family the Highland Park 4th of July parade when a shooter opened fire.
“We were a few feet way from his targets,” Deborah told The Jerusalem Post.
“I’m familiar with gunshots,” she said, but at first she told herself the bangs she heard were typical 4th of July sounds — fireworks and firecrackers.
Hiding behind cars
“This is Highland Park, there are no guns here,” she recalled thinking. “Yes there are, America’s crazy now.”
Deborah ran with her small children and family, taking cover behind nearby vehicles. The kids, ages five and seven, were crying and frightened.
Police confirmed that the shooter had fired at the parade from a rooftop.
Peering out from behind the cars, Deborah saw a bleeding person being given aid. On the other side, she saw a bloodied, unmoving body. At the time of the interview, local media had reported that six people had been murdered, and dozens were injured.
Police told Deborah and her family that they had to evacuate, but it was unclear where they could run to. They took shelter in a local shop.
“I knew this happened in America, but you don’t think it’s going to happen in Highland Park.”
Deborah
From the shop windows they could see police running around, desperately and unsuccessfully looking for the shooter. At the time of writing the police still hadn’t caught the gunman — According to police a white male around 20 years old, with long black hair and a small build, wearing a blue t-shirt.
Eventually, the authorities informed them that they could leave the area by car.
“We’re physically okay but this is beyond traumatizing,” Deborah said.
Unable to escape terror
Her children had waited three years to visit and take part in the American Independence Day parade. Instead of enjoying the carnival, they were hiding from gunfire.
Deborah recalled how not long before the parade, her daughter had heard fire works and told her mother that she thought she heard Iron Dome, the Israeli anti-rocket defense system, activating. Deborah told her daughter that they didn’t have to worry about things like that in America.
“They just can’t get away from terror,” said Deborah. “We live on the Gaza border and we came here for a peaceful vacation.”
Residents of the Gaza periphery often face the danger of rocket and mortar strikes, among other terrorist threats. Deborah noted that at least there its known were the danger is coming from, the Israel Defense Forces are present, and there is warning before the explosive projectiles fall.
“I knew this happened in America, but you don’t think it’s going to happen in Highland Park,” said Deborah.
Possible Jewish connection
The US had recently been rocked by deadly mass shootings, such as the Uvalde school shooting that left 19 young students and two teachers dead.
Deborah wondered about the shooter’s motives, “Is he antisemitic, is he anti-American?”
She described the Highland Park neighborhood as “pretty Jewish.” Deborah added: “Something happens like this in an upper to middle class, half Jewish area you have to wonder.”
At least two of the dead were reported to be Jewish, and ZAKA reported that some of the injured was Jewish as well. Among the dead was an elderly Jewish man, the emergency rescue organization said. The Israeli Midwest Consulate was reportedly in touch with the community and authorities.
The shooting happened four blocks away from a Chabad center, Chabad news reported on Monday night. In a video of the incident, it appears that a klezmer band was playing when the shooter attacked. According to Chabad, the Jewish community is often quite involved with the parade, usually having a menorah float.
Feeling “safer on the Gaza border”
“Devastated to hear the news from Highland Park, where a day of celebration became a day of tragedy,” said Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid late Monday night. “My thoughts are with the families of the victims and all the American people. Today as always, Israel stands with our American friends.”
“I am following the horrible news from Highland Park,” said Yinam Cohen, Israeli consul general to the US Midwest. “Our hearts and prayers are with the members of the community. We thank the local authorities for their immediate response.”
Deborah and her family are still emotionally recovering from the fresh trauma of the incident. She could still hear helicopters circling as the search continued.
“I feel safer in Zikim on the Gaza border,” Deborah told The Post. “No one is safe in America now.”