Post-Dispatch correspondent Janet McNichols was sitting in the second row of the Kirkwood City Council chambers with another reporter, Marty Harris of the Webster-Kirkwood Times, at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Her account of what happened during the next 30 seconds:

"The meeting had just started, everyone had just said the Pledge of Allegiance, and we were sitting when I heard a shout from the back of the room.

"I recognized Charles 'Cookie' Thornton's voice and I heard someone say something about a gun.

"I looked up and saw Officer (Tom) Ballman shot in the head and then Mr. (Kenneth) Yost shot in the head, too. Marty and I crawled under our chairs. I could hear Mr. Yost trying to breathe, heavily.

"There was a lot of yelling going on, it was mostly Cookie.

It was loud, very loud. He was shouting 'I've got a gun,' and he started shooting people.

"The gunshots were very loud. I could see Mr. Yost lying on the floor. I was watching him die. It was just dreadful.

"I was panicked. I was laying on the floor waiting to be shot.

"We heard Cookie shouting, and the Kirkwood Police ran in and shouted, 'We got him, OK, he's down, you can get up.'

"I walked out. I was afraid to look back. I didn't want to see people shot dead. ..."

"I'm lucky to be alive. I know it's a cliche, but it's true."