Borderland resident remembers fallen friends on August 3, 2019

JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Five years after the tragic Cielo Vista Walmart shooting, an El Paso and Juárez resident remembers what he experienced on August 3, 2019.

Victor Reyes and his family came from Juárez to one of the busiest Walmarts in the country.

They crossed an international bridge early Saturday morning and went to get breakfast before their planned shopping at Walmart.

When they finally got to the store, Victor and his family started to hear the gunshots. He says his daughter thought she was hearing fireworks.

Quickly they left the parking lot before local, state, and federal law enforcement closed everything around the store.

Victor and his family felt grateful, before knowing a couple he knew tragically didn't make it out of the Walmart.

Adolfo Hernández and Sarah Regalado were a married couple friends of Victor's mother. Victor says he and his family didn't believe the couple had been tragically killed inside the store until their names appeared in the news.

Victor described Sarah as a very good and helpful woman, she used to talk a lot and help Victor's mom who tragically passed away nearly two years ago.

To this day, Victor remembers that day with sadness but is also grateful he and his family went to grab breakfast before or they would've been inside the store during the massacre.

Watch Victor's full story tonight on ABC-7 at 6.