MILWAUKEE — Molson Coors Brewing Company has hundreds of employees at the Milwaukee campus.
They were sent an alert to shelter in place just after shots rang out around 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The intersection of 46th and State became a designated pick up location for workers. It was there we saw lots of hugs and phone calls as employees left a harrowing experience. Many of them were without jackets and winter gear since they were not allowed to go back for the items.
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"We tried to stay together, and we tried to make sure everyone was accounted for. We just did our best to wait it out," said a worker who was waiting for a ride. She did not share her name but said she was at her desk in the corporate area when she got an email alert---there was an active shooter.
"We were all pretty scared. We were watching the live stream is on TV trying to see what was going on outside because we couldn't see anything. We were evacuated to another building, evacuated to another building and finally to the gift center. We're all just happy to be okay," the worker said.
Employee Dale Krause says he and about 10 others stayed in an office waiting for police.
"You always see it on TV but you never think you would actually experience something like that," said Krause.
Randy Chenoweth has worked at the brewery for decades. He says he was just feet from where the shooting took place.
"If I wouldn't have gone to talk to this guy who was relieving me I'd be one of the guys. I know that for a fact because I would've walked right into what was going on," said Chenoweth.
"We are very quiet sitting in that office like a little mouse. We didn’t wanna come out and show ourselves because we don’t know where is this guy, who is this guy, what’s going on here," Chenoweth said.
The utility employee knows the people who died and is still coming to grips with it all.
"I know 'em all, even the guy apparently that is accused of doing it. I don't know what happened what made him go," Chenoweth said.
"I really feel for the families. I'll pray for ya. It's all I can really do."
Jerry Lange's wife works at Molson Coors. She texted him about the shooting earlier Wednesday and he waited an agonizing few hours to hear back.
"Heart-wrenching knowing that something like this is going on and your loved one's right in the middle of it I don't know what else to say I'm just glad that she's okay," said Lange.
At this point, employees say it is not clear what is next, but they are keeping the victims and their families in their thoughts.
