SEATTLE — Getting caught in the crossfire of a deadly shooting wasn't what ReAnn Taylor and her daughter, Evangeline, thought would happen when they drove into Seattle to go shopping.
The two came to Seattle from Gig Harbor Wednesday and ended up being downtown when a shooting happened that left one person dead and seven others injured.
"Some lady was rushing along next to us and she said, 'there's a shooter on the streets, you need to get home,'" recalled Taylor, as she described the ordeal.
As she and her daughter were running through Westlake Center to get to their car, Evangeline found herself a step behind and the two became separated.
"I was freaking out," Evangeline said
When Taylor realized Evangeline wasn't with her, she immediately rushed back into the street, banging on the doors of a U.S. Bank in lockdown to ask for help.
A security guard unlocked the door and another good Samaritan came up and started scouring the streets for Evangeline with Taylor.
Luckily, the good Samaritan found Evangeline nearby, who was also getting help from two women who were looking for her mom.
"I just dropped everything and was weeping and ran and hugged her," said Taylor, as she talked about reuniting with her daughter. "I was overwhelmed with gratitude."
The pair are thankful to be home safe and grateful for the people that helped make sure they were reunited even amidst the chaos of the shooting incident.
Taylor and her daughter were living in Australia, but recently returned to Seattle, which is Taylor's hometown.
"It's a scary time we live in, but seeing the police force, the Seattle police force, and seeing these good Samaritans really rally together for someone who's come back home to her city, Seattle, makes me proud to be American and makes me proud to be from Seattle," Taylor said. "I feel really, really grateful."