My Son at Dawson College


Normally Jacob would have stayed a few minutes to discuss things with his teacher, but today he had to hurry to meet his grilfriend one floor below.

The building has an atrium, all floors look out over a central internal court yard. Opening his locker he was startled to hear BANG -BANG- BANG continual firecracker sounds coming from above. He looked out into the court yard. Everyone was running, on the various floors and in the court below. Running could be heard above.

Word went around like a wildfire of a gunman.
About forty of the kids hid behind the lockers along with Jacob, as shots continued to be fired -BANG -BANG- BANG, from the floor above.
"Is he across the atrium aiming over here or upstairs?" Someone shouted.
Glass shattered and spayed nearby.

After about 45 minutes a policeman leading "point" in front of four others providing cover, herded the frightened students from this floor and out of the building.

The students could not help but notice a pool of blood at the entrance where the gunman had initially started the rampage as he penetrated further and further into the school, allegedly, calmly shooting as he went.

I was one mile down the street in the centre of the city at a business lunch with a client when my sister called my cell, tears in her voice, as she asked if Jacob was at Dawson today.

I left the lunch in shock and panic. I sped west along Rene Levesque to Fort Street but the police deviated traffic out to the high way away from the college.

I made my way back to Westmount from the West.

My cell phone was jammed much of the time as millions of people were trying to get in touch with their loved ones.

Having found a parking spot 4 blocks west of campus I began to run to find my boy.
The cell phone rang.
I briefly heard my boy's voice, but the signal jammed with overuse.
It wrang again.

"Dad I'm safe and out of the building."
"Jacob!" I shreiked, "Are you ok?"
"I am fine -safe, I'm coming home."

If you have family directly affected and need information, the family of the wounded young people who are at the hospital, may call the follwoing hot lines for information:
514-280-2880
514-280-2806

I hope you do not have to use these nunbers.
Les