Jordan Ghawi received one of the most horrific phone calls imaginable early Friday morning.
His mother, “hysterical and almost unintelligible,” phoned with news that his sister, 24-year-old Jessica Ghawi, had been shot at a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colo., Jordan blogged Friday.
Twelve people were killed and 59 more injured by alleged gunman James Holmes, who reportedly later called himself The Joker.
Jordan, 26, a student, firefighter and paramedic in Texas, traveled to Colorado on Friday morning and wrote in detail about his sister’s final moments, as told to him by their mutual friend Brent.
“Jessica and Brent were seated in the middle portion of the theatre when a device was thrown into the theatre that produced a ‘hissing’ sound,” Jordan wrote. “The theatre then began to fill with smoke which is when patrons began to move from their seats. At that time, shots were fired.”
He continued in chilling detail.
Brent and Jessica dropped for cover. “Brent then heard Jessica scream and noticed that she was struck by a round in the leg,” Jordan wrote. “Brent, began holding pressure on the wound and attempted to calm Jessica.”
“It was at this time that Brent took a round to his lower extremities. While still administering first aid, Brent noticed that Jessica was no longer screaming. He advised that he looked over to Jessica and saw what appeared to be an entry wound to her head.”
Jordan later wrote that he received word from the coroner’s office that his sister indeed died from injuries sustained during the shooting.
“Let us remember the names of the victims and not the name of the coward who committed this act,” Jordan Tweeted Friday afternoon.
A total of 71 moviegoers were shot at the Century 16 Theater at the Town Center Mall in Aurora.
