How did the believers even get to Damascus in the first place?

Acts 8:1 says following Stephen’s death. The followers of the Way were forced to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria to avoid persecution. However in Acts 9:2 I read. Paul went to Damascus to persecute believers. How did the believers even get there in the first place? And then Acts 11:19 says some of them [eventually] fled as far as Antioch. So could it be that while going to Antioch some of them decided to stay in Damascus? Because Damascus was on their way from Jerusalem to Antioch.