by Emily Luxen
AURORA, Colorado - A nurse from Sumner County was visiting her sister in Colorado when they decided to go to the movies at the same theater where a suspect opened fire.
It was a scene Hendersonville resident Mia Bransford will never forget.
"It is just surreal. How could anyone do that?" asked Bransford.
Bransford decide to watch "The Dark Knight Rises" with her sister. They were in a theater just a few doors down from where James Holmes went on a shooting spree.
"We had no idea what had happened until the fire alarm went off and everyone started to exit the room," she told NewsChannel5 over the phone.
When Bransford got outside the theater, she was shocked by what she saw.
"You could see police running into the theater with weapons drawn, SWAT teams,and tactical teams were there," said Bransford. "It wasn't anything you could have prepared for."
As an emergency room nurse, Bransford got to work trying to help victims outside the movie theater.
"I just saw people were hurt and needed help. I could offer my services, that is all I knew to do," she said.
Bransford helped first responders bandage bleeding victims, and comfort them as they reached out to family members. Hours later she was allowed to leave the property.
"The full effect didn't set in until I got back to my hotel room and started watching the coverage on TV. I just started crying," she said.
Bransford said had she bought her tickets earlier, she very easily could have been in the theater where the shooting started.
"My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones, that could have been my sister and I."
Email: Eluxen@newschannel5.com
