joining us now, kristen brady, a student at umpqua community college. can you tell us where you were and what you heard? how it began for you? >> i was actually outside by my car with a friend. i was putting away my anatomy and physiology book and as i was putting it away, my friend and i heard these popping sounds. and at first, we thought it was an engine firing back until a teacher or administrator told us that it was a live shooting and told us to get into our cars. >> you then got into your car? >> i got into my car and then i rather panicked and tried to lay down as much as i could in the car. my friend was able to drive away and on her way out of the school, she was able to pick up a couple of people on her way that was trying to get away from the shooting. >> and at some point, did you get out of your car? what happened next? >> what happened was i started worrying about the other students in the science building and my teachers. and as i was worrying about that, i saw a student coming out of the science building we're buds in her ears and looki

kristen brady is joining us now on the phone. she's a student at that college. kristen actually heard the gunshots fired. kristen, where were you when the shooting broke out? what did you hear and how did you first realize something was horribly wrong? >> i was over by my car. i had just walked over there with my friend, liz. she and i were going there. i was personally going there to get -- put my books away and then she was going to be leaving i guess for the day. we first heard a pop, pop, pop sound and we thought possibly it was an engine backfiring. and so an administrator told us there's an active shooter on the school, get in your car. and we both got in our cars. my friend elizabeth drove away immediately and i unfortunately panicked and crashed down in my car not quite sure what to do. >> wow. why did you crouch down in your car and not try to get out of there as quickly as possible? what was going through your mind at that point, kristen? >> well, my first thought was i was afraid if i did drive away and the shooter could possibly shoot me in my car as

joining us now, kristen brady, a student at umpqua community college. can you tell us where you were and what you heard? how it began for you? >> i was actually outside by my car with a friend. i was putting away my anatomy and physiology book and as i was putting it away, my friend and i heard these popping sounds. and at first, we thought it was an engine firing back until a teacher or administrator told us that it was a live shooting and told us to get into our cars. >> you then got into your car? >> i got into my car and then i rather panicked and tried to lay down as much as i could in the car. my friend was able to drive away and on her way out of the school, she was able to pick up a couple of people on her way that was trying to get away from the shooting. >> and at some point, did you get out of your car? what happened next? >> what happened was i started worrying about the other students in the science building and my teachers. and as i was worrying about that, i saw a student coming out of the science building we're buds in her ears and looki

joining us now, kristen brady, a student at umpqua community college. good to meet you. >> mccray, i understand that you were in math class in a building close to where the shooting broke out. can you just tell us what was going on around you as it all unfolded, what you perceived from where you were? >> it wasn't a math class. it was a tutoring center that was a couple buildings away. it was a couple hundred yards from the actual snyder building where it happened. >> okay. >> and it was a tutoring building where about 20 or more other students were also sitting in there just working on regular stuff. and we had absolutely no noise, no alert or warning except for the math teacher who ran in there completely panics telling us to get into the back of the building in the teachers room, as fast as we can get down. >> and the teachers room that you were moved into, is that sort of more of an interior space away from the windows? is that why it would have been a safer location? >> yeah. it was back where the windows were a little bit up on top toward the ceil

. >> andy parker, we just heard from kristen brady, that she doesn't know if some classmates of hers may have been lost. this is news that will be -- will probably take 24 hours or so to get through to the entire community there about exactly who's been lost. when it happened to you and it's so fresh in all of our months because it's just months ago that it happened to you with your daughter, you became a gun safety activist fairly instantaneously. what was your reaction to what we heard the president say tonight about this? >> well, he was absolutely correct in that, you know, your heart goes out to the families. and my heart breaks for them. but there has to be an outrage. and my second emotion was, i'm outraged that this has happened again. we're at war. this is like domestic terrorism and politicians do have to be held accountable for it. virginia is very unique in that we have off-year elections and i've joined every town for gun safe temperature. and i'm going to be working to kick the politicians out to toe the line that have blood on their hands because they're in the pockets

joining us on the phone right now is kristen brady, she's a student at umpqua community college. tually on the campus when the shooting started. and you saw, you heard, kristen, what was going on? first of all, kristen, how are you doing right now? >> i'm pretty razz led up. still kind of shaky. >> which is totally understandable. tell us where you were and what you saw and heard. >> well, what was going on was that a friend of mine and i were leaving our science lab. and we were right by my car when we started hearing this popping sound. and it was a little worrisome at first, but then we thought maybe it was just a car backfiring until one of the teachers was telling us it was an active school shooting. and we should get in our cars. and my friend she got immediately into her car and drove off. i got main my car and i kind of panicked and got down on the -- in my car i wasn't really sure what to do. >> so you just got down on the floor of your car and just waited there? is that what you're saying? >> well, at first. and i was just sitting there and i wondered what in the world a

brady campaign says their fight continues despite this. it's not about taking away guns but that guns are in and thats of the right people. richard? >> kristensomething that this administration has way too much experience. i don't believe that the president would love to have to give any more than he's had to do. what's next. as we look at sandy hook and the ability to change things there, is there energy to go at this in the way you just described? >> that is the question i have been putting to officials here at the white house, and the indication i'm getting is there's not an appetite to push for stricter gun legislation. to your point, richard, this is the 15th time president obama has spoken in the wake of a mass shooting. white house officials say he's reached his limits. he wanted to do something but his hands are tied. what you will see is he will continue to talk about it. what needs to happen now is americans need to put their energy in electing officials who will ultimately support things like expanded background checks once they get into office. >> kristen weekend kerr live at the white house. thank you so much, we appreciate it.