Thu, August 26, 2004
AN EX-ISRAELI paratrooper swooped in yesterday to help a woman who'd been viciously assaulted and shot at by her estranged husband at the TD Centre food court. Eli Shimonov, 42, owner of Pumpernickel's Deli and Catering, said he first heard screaming followed by a few "pops" as he helped his wife, Hanna, open the business shortly after 8 a.m.
"I heard of lot of women screaming and then finally the corridor got quiet and we heard a pop. More than one pop. More than one gunshot," said Shimonov, who had come downtown with his two daughters to do some back-to-school shopping.
Seconds after the commotion, Shimonov quickly hustled his wife, children, employees and two patrons into the shop's walk-in freezer.
CUT ON TEMPLE
Then he noticed a woman staggering to the front of his shop before collapsing.
"I looked out and crawled underneath the (front) counter and stuck my head out of the restaurant to see what was happening," Shimonov said.
"She had a cut above the left temple," he said, rubbing his finger across his brow. "There was a lot of blood; it was all gushing. We told her to just lie down 'it's okay and we'll get some help for you.' "
"I had a towel in my hand and covered her head. I took off my apron and covered her head," said Shimonov, adding other people came to her aid including a pregnant woman.
"She kept asking for a pillow over and over again and nothing else. A few minutes later, first aid came from the building."