Fear hit like a bomb. One moment, downtown Chicago glowed with families, tourists, and workers; the next, screams tore through the night as gunfire shattered everything familiar. People ran blind, tripping over each other, grabbing children, abandoning bags, phones, dignity. Sirens wailed, phones buzzed, rumors exploded. No one knew who was safe, who was hurt, who was ne… Continues… When the shots finally stopped, the silence felt heavier than the gunfire. Strangers held each other on sidewalks slick with spilled drinks and blood, trading frantic stories that didn’t yet make sense. Parents counted their children again and again. Some phones...
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