Reports: Md. Woman Hid in Stairwell During Nairobi Shooting

A Silver Spring, Md. woman hid inside a stairwell a Nairobi mall during a deadly shooting this weekend, according to Canada Broadcasting Corporation.

At least 62 people have died and as many as 175 have been wounded in Kenya's capital since Saturday. A hostage standoff continued into Monday as more gunshots rang out, and terrorist group al-Shabab has been connected to the attack, which targeted non-Muslims.

The CBC spoke with Sara Head, a Silver Spring woman who works in Fairfax County. In a Skype interview, she said she had just parked inside a garage when one of her colleagues heard gunfire and took cover under cars. Head told the CBC she and the group she was with then fled to a nearby stairwell thinking they would be able to get out, but were instead trapped for more than an hour upon hearing more gunfire.

"All of a sudden — the light switch had been flickering off and on — it came back on and people exited via one of the stores, and there were employees at the stores who were still there and standing or pointing," Head told the CBC. "There was blood on the floor as we were exiting, which looked like someone had been wounded and carried out."

Contact Us