MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — A shooting in Maryland Heights has created life-altering wounds in the body and the minds of multiple people.
On June 29 around 6:30 p.m., 20-year-old St. Peters resident Scarlette Russell was at the Comfort Inn in Maryland Heights on Lackland Road when her ex-boyfriend approached the car she was sitting in and shot her in the back, according to the Maryland Heights Police Department's report.
Direct injuries
Since that day, Scarlette has been lying in a local hospital bed. Doctors told her that she was paralyzed from the waist down due to a severed spinal cord. Scarlette found out she also had two broken ribs and a punctured lung as a result of the bullet hitting her — but Scarlette has also been having nightmares and developed a fear of being alone.
"I feel distressed, I am depressed. They had a therapy dog come in here the other day and that kind of gave me some hope but other than that I don't really have much hope right now," she said.
Scarlette said she met 28-year-old Lashawn Wooten through a family member and within two months of them dating she knew something was wrong.
"People were telling me that he was watching me with binoculars and all types of crazy stuff," Scarlette said. "Always showing up to my home. Never wanting to leave. I would engage in light conversations to keep the peace after a few more weeks of constant showing up getting on my phone and texting friends, it got to be too much. When I told him it was over he started putting notes on my car, banging on the door at all hours of the night. I had to call the police several times but they were never able to catch him."
Then Scarlette said Lashawn had just recently broken into her home and assaulted her.
"I was asleep and he grabbed me by my neck and dropped me and busted my head open," she said.
Although Lashawn was taken into custody the day after the shooting, Scarlette feels unsafe and devastated that her life has changed forever.
Scarlette's friend was on the scene of the shooting and he said that he tried to stop Lashawn and was unable to. After the shooting, he drove Scarlette to the hospital and then left the hospital to pick up Scarlette's mom, Bridget Faulkenberry, to let her know that her daughter had been shot and that she was in the hospital.
"He saved my life," Scarlette said about her friend.
"It would have been wrong to leave her there and that's my friend," he said.
Indirect injuries
Bridget recalled driving to the hospital in the car Scarlette was shot in, with shaky hands and a frantic heart. When she arrived at the hospital she said they were already working on her daughter in the trauma unit.
"I didn't know if she was even going to live because she had lost so much blood," Bridget said. "I could tell from the car."
She sat at her daughter's bedside happy that her only child is still alive.
"It's just been so hard because she had her whole life ahead of her," Bridget said full of emotion. " I know she is alive and I am so blessed... I have fought with this man for months. I have called St. Peters Police Department over and over and they said when we catch him we will give him a trespassing and they never did. As many times as they were at my home, they never did."
Bridget said that her daughter lives with her and she witnessed Lashawn's behavior closely. She said they just agreed to get a protection order in place this week and then this happens.
"As a mother, I had a bad feeling and I tried so hard to keep him away from her but you can't protect your child 24 seven," Bridget said. " I was scared of him."
Bridget said that Lashawn was upset that Scarlette no longer wanted to be in a relationship and he threatened to kill her.
While Scarlette has relied on her mother's support Bridget said she has relied on her family's support and her church community.
"Miracles happen, we believe in God, we believe in faith," Bridget said about her daughter's injuries.
Scarlette's friend has not been able to eat or sleep since the shooting happened. He also said that he has a lot of anxiety.
"I had to call my mother, the friend said about the traumatic experience.
He has visited Scarlette at the hospital every day.
Scarlette wants to make sure others watch for warning signs when dating people.
Lashawn has been charged with first-degree assault serious physical injury, one count of armed criminal action, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, and one count of armed criminal action. He is also being held on a $500,000 bond at the St. Louis County Justice Center.
If you would like to help Scarlette with medical bills donate here.
Resources for crime victims:
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
The Crime Victim Center of St. Louis has multiple programs to support victims of crime. Crime Victim Center’s programs range from direct services to crime victims as well as “creating awareness and change within the systems they encounter.”
Life Outside of Violence "helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence."
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has the Neighborhood Healing Network, which serves people who have experienced crime, violence or been the victim of an incident that caused trauma.
The Bullet Related Injury Clinic (BRIC) is a community-based clinic in St. Louis that helps people heal after they have been injured by a bullet. The BRIC was established to help people who are discharged home from the emergency department after being shot.
