- A West Covina family learned by phone alert that their 24-year-old Southern California-based daughter was in Twin Falls, Idaho as part of an In-N-Out "all-star team" when shots rang out at about 2:30 p.m. local time.
- The Aherns were alerted through the Citizen App; their daughter fled without her cell phone and later reached them from a friend's phone after an excruciating wait.
- Nikki said her daughter's first words were "mommy, I'm alive".
- Micheal said his daughter confirmed she was safe but told him a co-worker had been shot.
- Nikki said it felt like "being powerless" and that it took a long time for clarification.
- The Aherns criticized In-N-Out for failing to alert them to the active situation and said there must be a protocol, like an emergency contact list; CBS LA had not yet heard back.
- The Aherns said their daughter remains without a cell phone and is expected to return to Southern California on Monday.
A Southern California woman, part of an all-star team training new associates at an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, survived a shooting that left three dead and seven injured.123101112
The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. local time when 24-year-old Chad Williams opened fire in the restaurant.
The Ahern family learned of the shooting through a news alert, anxiously awaiting a call from their daughter, who fled the scene without her cell phone.
"All she could get out [on the initial phone call] was 'mommy, mommy, mommy,' crying, 'mommy, I'm alive'," said Nikki Ahern, her mother.79
Micheal Ahern, her father, confirmed that while their daughter was safe, a co-worker had been shot.8
The Twin Falls Police Department later confirmed the tragic toll of the shooting, with In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder stating that a female employee was among the deceased.
Williams ultimately turned the gun on himself, resulting in his death.
Nikki expressed the family's feelings of helplessness during the ordeal, stating, "[It felt like] being powerless. It took a long time for clarification."
The Ahern family criticized In-N-Out for not having a protocol to alert families during such emergencies, with Micheal questioning, "There's got to be a protocol. Like, you have an emergency contact list, right?"
As of now, their daughter is expected to return to Southern California on Monday, still without her cell phone.13
“The 24-year-old, part of an In-N-Out 'all-star team' training new associates in Twin Falls, fled without her phone and later reached her parents from a friend's phone: 'mommy, I'm alive.' Her parents, alerted via the Citizen App, fault In-N-Out for lacking an emergency-contact protocol and expect her back in Southern California on Monday.”
CBS News
