Local families react to San Bernardino shooting

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - The shooting in San Bernardino is hitting close to home for a man living in the valley, a man who might be a familiar face to many people.

Nick Lowery is a former Kansas City Chiefs Kicker, his brother's wife Andrea Lowery is the President and CEO of OPARC, which works in the building where the shooting took place. She goes to the facility on a regular basis and after hearing the news, Nick feared the worst.

The shooting happened at the Inland Regional Center in one of the conference rooms that was being rented out for the San Bernardino Health Department's personnel holiday party. Nick says it took a few hours to hear from his sister-in-law, but his brother sent him a text saying she was okay. Thankfully she wasn't in the building at the time.

He says they work with people with developmental disabilities learn job skills. Nick says the facility is a great place with a lot of energy.

"The people that are there want to be there, they are highly motivated, and there's a great sense of comradery, so I can only imagine how horrific this was to be in this place where there is so much encouragement, right in the middle of this event, and then this horrendous event to take place," said Nick Lowery.

Lowery says 4 of his sister-in-law's clients were shot but are expected to be okay.