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Teen Recounts Shooting At L.A. Fitness

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Aug 5, 2009 2:01 pm US/Eastern

Teen Recounts Shooting At L.A. Fitness

Uncut: Teen Recounts Deadly Shooting At L.A. Fitness

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Jordan Solomon was in the room when the shooter began opening fire on an 8 p.m. aerobic class at L.A. Fitness in Collier Township on Tuesday evening.

"It was really loud, like a giant pop," the young woman said. "It made my ears hurt."

Last night, four people were killed when a lone gunman walked into the aerobic class, turned off the lights and began shooting the women in the darkened room.

The county coroner's office said that the shooter, 48-year-old George Sodini, died during the incident. The coroner's office also confirmed that Elizabeth Gannon, 49, of Pittsburgh, and Heidi Overmier, 46, of Carnegie and Jody Billingsley, 38, of Mt. Lebanon were killed in the shooting. 

Solomon escaped unscathed from the Latin Impact aerobic class at the fitness club in Bridgeville. However, an additional nine people were also injured.

Solomon said she noticed Sodini walk into the class about 15 minutes late, but saw he was decked out in work out attire: shorts, a sweatband, a muscle shirt.

"When the man walked in and he was the only man in the class and he's older, I thought that was suspicious," she said.

A short few minutes later, all the lights in the room went out. 
"I'd never been in that class before and thought maybe that it was part of the routine and within 30 seconds ... he started firing," she said. "I didn't know what it was and I turned around and saw a man holding a gun and I just turned around and went for the door."

Solomon said immediately called her father, Damon, to come pick her up.  Damon Solomon said the phone call was terrifying.

"I don't remember much of the ride except for keeping jordon on the phone with me," he said. "All I really heard was, 'There's a man...' and she was screaming," he said.

The young woman said the trainers stayed with her until her father came to pick her up from the scene.  Her mother, Beth, was out of town during the shooting and is grateful for her daughter's safety.

"Thank God I wasn't there with Jordon at the gym because I think that if I was it would have been a different outcome because we would have been looking out for each other," she said.

L.A. Fitness in Collier Township remains closed today as police continue the investigation.  A motive for the crime is still unclear at this point.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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