Westgate Mall witness accounts
24 September 2013
From different news sources, a compiled account and narration by rescued hostages and witnesses from the Westgate Mall siege. Witnesses reported as many as 14 gunmen. At least 62 people have been killed and 175 others injured during this attack. Witness names withheld.
At first the shootout was believed to be a robbery. As people escaped from the mall doubt was raised about reports that the incident was a robbery. ******
It seemed like everywhere you went, there were more people who just appeared out of the woodwork. ******
Some of the victims were shot while inside their vehicles, in shops within the mall, the parking yard and on the staircases. ******
We hid in boxes and we tried to escape when they said it was safe, we almost made it to the door when they started firing again so we ran back up. ******
I saw three people dressed in black and with covered faces and they were carrying heavy rifles. They were shooting at us. ******
I had gone to buy a soda. I heard bullets, people running away. I went to first floor, then to the second floor but saw people rushing down. ******
We were on the rooftop by 11am. The cooking competition was already underway. The morning had all the makings of a nice day out. ******
Their faces were uncovered, exposed to us as if they almost didn’t care if we could identify them later. I immediately began to suspect that I would not be leaving Westgate alive. ******
A Somali guy shot at me. The guy who shot me was carrying a rifle, an AK-47. ******
Shoppers who tried to leave were asked by the terrorists to name Prophet Mohammed's mother. If they failed to give the correct name of Amina, they were shot dead. ******
The gunmen wore white bandanas and appeared to work in teams, each one taking control of different floors of the mall. ******
A grenade was thrown and it rolled near us, my daughter said, 'Papa, there's a grenade' - but thank God it didn't go off and I kicked it away. ******
We started by hearing gunshots downstairs and outside. Later we heard them come inside. We took cover. Then we saw two gunmen wearing black turbans. I saw them shoot. ******
We kept running to different places but the shots were getting louder so we barricaded ourselves into a large storeroom. There were children hiding with us, as well as someone who had been shot. ******
At first, I thought they were shooting at random. However, I soon noticed that people running and screaming were most often the ones hit by the bullets. Amid the noise, I heard the gunmen call out for the Muslims. ******
Muslims had to prove their faith. They had to recite verses from the Koran before they could be set free. ******
His (attacker) exact words are difficult to recall. But he said that he had killed many and more were injured. A few minutes after he received the call, the gunmen shot randomly on the rooftop and left. ******
The rescued persons were ordered to march from the Westgate Mall to the nearby UKay Centre where they were asked to identify themselves. ******
Inside the UKay Centre, police were stationed to question and screen them for more information. In the confusion, there were some who managed to walk away without being questioned. ******
At first the shootout was believed to be a robbery. As people escaped from the mall doubt was raised about reports that the incident was a robbery. ******
It seemed like everywhere you went, there were more people who just appeared out of the woodwork. ******
Some of the victims were shot while inside their vehicles, in shops within the mall, the parking yard and on the staircases. ******
We hid in boxes and we tried to escape when they said it was safe, we almost made it to the door when they started firing again so we ran back up. ******
I saw three people dressed in black and with covered faces and they were carrying heavy rifles. They were shooting at us. ******
I had gone to buy a soda. I heard bullets, people running away. I went to first floor, then to the second floor but saw people rushing down. ******
We were on the rooftop by 11am. The cooking competition was already underway. The morning had all the makings of a nice day out. ******
Their faces were uncovered, exposed to us as if they almost didn’t care if we could identify them later. I immediately began to suspect that I would not be leaving Westgate alive. ******
A Somali guy shot at me. The guy who shot me was carrying a rifle, an AK-47. ******
Shoppers who tried to leave were asked by the terrorists to name Prophet Mohammed's mother. If they failed to give the correct name of Amina, they were shot dead. ******
The gunmen wore white bandanas and appeared to work in teams, each one taking control of different floors of the mall. ******
A grenade was thrown and it rolled near us, my daughter said, 'Papa, there's a grenade' - but thank God it didn't go off and I kicked it away. ******
We started by hearing gunshots downstairs and outside. Later we heard them come inside. We took cover. Then we saw two gunmen wearing black turbans. I saw them shoot. ******
We kept running to different places but the shots were getting louder so we barricaded ourselves into a large storeroom. There were children hiding with us, as well as someone who had been shot. ******
At first, I thought they were shooting at random. However, I soon noticed that people running and screaming were most often the ones hit by the bullets. Amid the noise, I heard the gunmen call out for the Muslims. ******
Muslims had to prove their faith. They had to recite verses from the Koran before they could be set free. ******
His (attacker) exact words are difficult to recall. But he said that he had killed many and more were injured. A few minutes after he received the call, the gunmen shot randomly on the rooftop and left. ******
The rescued persons were ordered to march from the Westgate Mall to the nearby UKay Centre where they were asked to identify themselves. ******
Inside the UKay Centre, police were stationed to question and screen them for more information. In the confusion, there were some who managed to walk away without being questioned. ******
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