San Bernardino Shooting: Heart-wrenching, must-hear survivor stories - Part I

'There's a shoot out at my work I'm scared.'

In wake of the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, which left 14 people dead and 17 wounded, survivors have stepped forward to share their stories.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The staff of the Inland Regional Center was in the midst of celebrating a Christmas party when armed shooters appeared and opened fire. Survivors of the mass shooting shared their versions of what the suspects looked like, what happened and what they did during and after the attack.

Twenty-seven-year-old Denise Peraza's family told the LA Times she had sought cover under a desk but was shot in the lower back. Despite being wounded, she remained beneath the desk and lay still until the shooters left.

She described how "Everyone dropped to the floor. The guys opened fired [sic] for 30 seconds, randomly, then paused to reload and began firing again." It was silent for roughly five minutes before police arrived and began ushering people who could walk outside, where emergency responders waited to help.

Peraza's sister, Stephanie Baldwin, told KABC that Peraza called and said, "I just want to tell you that I love you." 

Baldwin added, "And then she said she had to go and she hung up."

Pereza was taken to a medical center in the back of a pickup and is expected to remain there until she has recovered.

Another survivor, Holly, shared that when the shooters began their attack, she sent her father, Terry Petit, a text message saying, "Dad shooting at my work, shot people in office. Waiting for cops to catch him. Pray for us."

Petit told KCAL9 News he responded, "Hide. Find a good spot. Hide now."

Holly replied, "I am but we are locked in an office. Cops SWAT helicopter, everything here."

Gina, another survivor, shared text message exchanged with her sister saying, "There's a shoot out at my work in [sic] scared," to which her sister responded, "Want me to cone [sic] get you i love you," "Stay down low as you can" and "I love you."

Gina's description of events mirrors Peraza's when she described how the shooters, who were all dressed in black with black face masks, began firing "randomly" into the crowd for thirty seconds before stopping to reload. They resumed shooting then fled before officers arrived.

The shooting began at 11:15 a.m. At 11:25 a.m., 24-year-old newlywed Kevin Ortiz called his wife, Dyana, to report he had been shot twice in his leg and once in his shoulder but was safe and that police had arrived and were already tending him.

Dyana shared, "Kevin said he had been shot three times and that he was in pain but he was all right. Then he said 'I love you' and I said 'I love you.'"

Marcos Aguilera told CNN he received a text from his wife Elain, who messaged, "There's a shooter @ work."

He wrote back, "Where r u at?," "R cops there?" and "R u safe."

She responded, "Locked in an office with 3 other people," and "I love you."

Aguilera said his wife "heard the shots and (other people) crying." Someone pulled a fire alarm and many of the nearly 200 employees were confused but a SWAT team arrived and rescued Elain and her coworkers. Aguilera reported that his wife saw bodies on the floor as she left the building.

"I've been wondering who would shoot up a building like that ... someone who's helping kids," he said. "I just don't know. People are crazy nowadays."

Police have since engaged in a car chase and shoot-out, resulting in the deaths of two suspects and a manhunt remains in effect for the third. Another person has been arrested in relation to the shooting, but is not currently considered to be one of the attackers.

There are several more survival stories that will appear in "Part Two" article later today.

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