Marshall Adams On The Scene At Mall Shooting

Adams

The shooting of three people by a teen at the MONROEVILLE MALL near PITTSBURGH hit close to home for News-Talk programming consultant MARSHALL ADAMS, who happens to lease office and studio space for his MARSHALL ADAMS MEDIA in the mall, steps from the MACY'S store in which the shooting tool place.

ADAMS was in his office SATURDAY night during the incident and was locked down, although never in danger; he heard the shooting being reported on his police scanner and went into action helping news crews by monitoring internal radio communications during the search for the gunman -- the reporters were being kept away from the mall during the search -- and his help was instrumental in the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE's extensive coverage for the SUNDAY edition.

ADAMS, the veteran Talk programmer and News Director with stations like WBT-A-F and WSOC-TV/CHARLOTTE, KDKA-A, KQV-A, WPXI-TV, and METRO NETWORKS/PITTSBURGH, WYAY (ALL NEWS 106.7)/ATLANTA, KTRH-A/HOUSTON and WVNN-A-WZYP/HUNTSVILLE on his resumé, tells ALL ACCESS that he admits to being "a little shaken up" by the incident, especially because his son WILL (4 years old) and daughter CHARLOTTE (16 months old) are frequent visitors to his office and play in the MISTER ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD playground area just outside that MACY'S.

He notes that this weekend, "children of all ages experienced the very real, traumatizing sound of repeated gunfire followed by unforgettable screams, uncontrolled crowds and chaos that will haunt them for life. The kids fled in panic to snowy, 40-degree parking lots, some without the winter coats and boots they'd set aside for play, many still terrifyingly separated from their parents, and all surrounded by an intimidating police presence armed with scary-looking shotguns. No child should ever see any of that. How could these kids' lives change so tragically in a shopping center playground built by someone as peaceful as FRED ROGERS?"

Relieved that his kids and wife EMILY were not at the mall when the shooting took place, ADAMS asks fellow news/talkers to keep the children who were there in their thoughts. "Radio can't love you back. Maybe tonight's a good night to hug your loved ones a little tighter and remind yourself what matters most," he said.

Reach MARSHALL at marshalladams@hotmail.com.

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