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6BODYOFCHRISTNEWSNOVEMBER2012RandyMcCowanPublisheroftheBodyofChristNewssaysx1cOnthisThursdayinJulyithadbeenhotalldaylongandmyhousedoesnothaveairconditioning.MyparentssnowbirdsvisitingfromArizonadonx19tliketohavethewindowsopenatnightafraidsomeonemightbreakintothehouse.Iwaslyinginbedsoakingwetfromtheheatandacommercialforx1cTheDarkKnightRisesx1dcameonTV.IrealizedthattonightwasthepremierandifIwenttothetheateritwouldbeair-conditioned.SoIcalledmyfriendGerunScurlockandaskedhimtomeetmeatthemovietheater.x1dGerunwaswatchingTVwithhisgirlfriendandhewasabitupsetaboutsomebadnewsfromhissurgeonregardingarecentMRIandhewassufferingfromtheheataswell.Sohedecideditwouldbegoodtogetoutofthehouseandcooloff.Randywenttobuyhismovieticketat1045eventhoughthemoviewouldnx19tstartuntilmid-nightx14hewassogladtobeintheair-conditionedtheaterthathedidnx19tmindthewait.HewastoldthemaintheaterTheater9wassoldoutandTheater8wasalsosoldoutsotheyhadjustopenedTheater1toshowthesamemovie.Geruncamelaterandpurchasedhisticketat1118pm.Randysaysx1cAfterthepreviewsabout15minutesintothefeaturemovieweheardalotofloudshootingandwethoughtthevolumewasturneduptooloudbecausetherewasshootinginthemovie.Thenthefirealarmsoundedbuteveryonejuststayedintheirseatsandcontinuedtowatchthemovie.Nextthetheaterlightscameonandanannouncementwasmadetoevacuatethebuilding.x1dRandycontinuesx1cWhenweopenedthedoorSWATteammembersweretellingustorunandgetoutofthetheater.AswerandownthehalltowardtheexitIsawaladylyinginapuddleofblood.x1dGerunaddsx1cRandyandIrantoourvehiclesinsurvivalmodenotknowingwhatwasgoingon.OnthewayIsawanotherladywhowasstandingonthesidewalkwithherentiretopcov-eredinblood.Sheandthemanwhowashelpingherwerebothhystericalandcouldnx19tanswermewhenIaskedifIcouldhelp.Shewasbabblingincoherently.SoagainItookoffrunningsurvivalmodekickinginagain.Igotintomyvehicle.Trafficwasgridlockedintheparkinglotwhichaddedtothestressbecauseitwasimpossibletoleavethearea.Randyexplainedx1cOnceIleftGerunIwaswalkingbetweenarowofvehi-clesintheparkinglot.Iaskedafewpeoplewhathadhappenedandonesaidsomeonehadthrownacanisterintothetheaterandsomeoneelsesaidtherehadbeenadrive-byshooting.SoIkeptwalkingkeepingdownlowbecauseitwaschaoticandIdidnx19treallyknowwhatwasgoingon.IcameuponaMexicanguywhowashelpingayoungreallytallBlackdudewholookedtobeinhislateteens.Hewashelpinghimwiththeassistanceofapoliceofficertogetoutofhiscar.AnditlookedliketheBlackdudehadbeenshotinthelegandtheywereaskingforwater.TheMexicanguyranuptomeandsnatchedahalf-emptybottleofwateroutofmyhand.TheMexicanguystartyellingx18theyshotmyhomeyIx19mgoingtopaythoses.o.b.x19sback.x19Thecrowdwasjuststaringathim.Icontinuedwalkingbacktomytruckkeepinglow.Itwasasummerhotnightandpeoplewerewhisperingsoitwasnx19tlouditwasjustkindofstrange.AndInoticedthattheBlacksandMexicanswerejumpingintotheircarstryingtogetoutofthearea.HowevertheWhiteswerecongregatingandaskingeachotherwhatwasgoingon.WhenIapproacheddifferentgroupsofWhitepeopletoaskwhathadhappenedIwasmetwithangrystares.ThenIthoughttomyselfthattheymustbethinkingwhathadcrossedmymindthatsomeBlacksandMexicanshaddoneadrive-byshootingintheparkinglot.x1dRandycontinuesx1cWhenIgotintomytruckIcouldseethatpoliceofficershaddirectedtheexitingvehiclesintotwolanesside-by-sideandtheyweresearchingthevehiclesone-by-oneandaskingtheoccupantsiftheyhadseenanything.AsIlookedtomylefttherewasaWhitecoupleintheSUVnexttome.Theirwindowsandminewererolleddown.Thewomanwascryinghysteri-cally.AsoureyesmetshestoppedcryinglongenoughtogivemeadirtylookandthebigguywhowasdrivingtheSUValsowasgivingmeadirtylook.TheybothseemedliketheyweregoingtosaysomethingtomesoIrolledupmywindowstoavoidpossiblyhearingthex1cnx1dwordbecausebynowIhadhadenoughofWhitefolksgivingmedirtylooks.Nowambulanceswerebeginningtocomeontothescene.x1dx1cWhenIfinallygothomemybrotherinTexascalledmearound245a.m.andaskedmeifIhadheardaboutthemassacreatthetheaterx14andsaiditx19sonCNNNews.SoIdidnx19tknowwhatwasgoingon.ButIrememberedsayingtomyselfwhenIwasinmytruckinthetheaterparkinglotx18Ix19mnevergoingtocomplainagainaboutnothavingair-conditioninginthehouseIx19mgoingtolistentowhatMomsaidandkeepthehouseclosedandlockedupandgetanair-condition-erx14becauseitwasobviousthatpeoplejustshownorespectforlifeorpropertythesedays.x1dRandysharesx1cAfterthistraumaticexperi-enceIdidnx19treallytalkaboutitverymuchbutInoticedthatmybehaviorwaschangingandIwasbecomingimpatient.TwoweeksafterthatIwasinaTargetstorewherealadywasbeingarrestedforshoplifting.ShekeptscreaminganditkeptgoingonandonandIfoundmyselfshak-ingandgettingreallynervouslikeIjustdidnx19tknowwhattodo.SoIdecidedIneededtotalkabouttheexperiencesoIcouldhealfromit.x1dGerunagreedsayingx1cRightafterthatyouknowyoux19rethinkingx18Ix19manadultIx19mamaturepersonthiswillnotaffectme.x19Butwearestillflesh-and-bloodandwestillhaveourfivesensesandIknowrightafterthatshootingandseeingallthehorrificthingsthatwesawIstartedhavingveryveryvividnight-maresofbeingchasedbypeoplewithgunsandpeoplestandingovermewantingtoshootme.ThiswasprettycatastrophicsoIcalledtheHelplinetheyhadsetupandtheyallowedmetoseeathera-pistandtalktosomebodyandreallyopenedthedooraboutthereasonsIwashavingthesenightmares.Ix19mstillworkingthroughthat.x1dContinuingGerunsaysx1cIgiveGodallthegloryandpraisethatwedidbothmakeitoutoftherewithoutbeingshot.Iknowtheemotionalstressandaftereffectsthatwearedealingwithareminutecomparedtothosewhowereshotpeoplewhoarestillinthehospitalandthosewholosttheirlives.Butinjuryisinjuryanditstillneedstobedealtwith.IgiveGodthanksduringthismonthofThanksgivingthatourlivesweresparedandtherewasnobloodshedfromourbodiesinJesusx19Name.x1dRandyagreesx1cYesandwethankYouHeavenlyFatherintheNameifYourSon.x1dSeenandUnseenDangersBodyofChristNewsRandyMcCowanandGerunSchurlockholdingtheirticketstoTheDarkKnightRisesWeheardalotofloudshootingandwethoughtthevolumewasturneduptooloud...AuroraTheatreShootingGIVINGTHANKS