Six Flags Great America is an amusement park in Gurnee, Illinois, part of the greater Chicago metropolitan area.
The amusement park has twelve themed areas, fifteen roller coasters, and Hurricane Harbor Chicago, a 20-acre water park.
After reports of a shooting, parkgoers were ordered to evacuate from Six Flags in Gurnee, Illinois, on Sunday.
Six Flags Great America Shooting Today- What Happened?
Three people were allegedly shot in Gurnee’s Six Flags Great America parking lot, prompting a significant police presence.
The people’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The amusement park was evacuated, as it closes at 8 p.m.
According to WGN News, Laurie Walker and her daughter, Grace, were inside the park when the shooting occurred. Walker stated they were waiting in line for the ‘Ricochet’ in the park’s southwest area around 7:50 p.m. when she noticed people fleeing in fear.
Laurie, a witness from the scene, said that someone advised all to get down, yelling that there was an active shooter, and she complied since she had no idea what was happening.
Laurie and Grace scaled two fences to get “out of plain sight” of her husband. Laurie claims she was able to leave the park after hiding out for a short time.
Is The Shooter Arrested?
Authorities told WGN News that officers are actively searching the Six Flags Great America area to ensure everyone is safe and well.
Guests reported on social media that the Gurnee amusement park was locked down shortly before its scheduled 8 p.m. closing time. A video in a later tweet showed visitors walking out calmly as red and blue lights flashed from dozens of emergency vehicles in the parking lot.
A video circulating on social media shows park visitors huddled and hiding where they had been in line.
The shooting occurred as Six Flags was about to close. There have been no convictions reported in connection with the incident so far.
The police department is working hard to apprehend the shooters and has asked that anyone with information about the shooters contact the police department.
Twitter users are terrified following the mass shooting. “There’s no doubt that Americans live their lives with the true sense that a mass shooting could happen at any time,” one wrote.
Six Flags Great America Meaning And Importance Explained
Six Flags Great America received over 3 million visitors in 2017, placing it among the top 20 amusement parks in North America in terms of attendance.
When Six Flags Over Texas opened in 1961, it drew huge crowds. Six themed sections modeled after the cultures of the six countries whose flags flew over Texas during the state’s colorful history created a spectacular and magical setting for guests — and gave the park its name.
Great America could refer to one of two American amusement parks founded and operated by the Marriott Corporation in 1976.
On May 13, 2021, J. B. Pritzker, with the park, announced that the park would give away 50,000 admission tickets worth $4,000,000 to Illinois residents who had recently received the COVID-19 shot.