A courageous Texas cheerleader has broken her silence, sharing her harrowing experience after being shot three times when her teammate mistakenly entered the wrong car after practice, Your Content has learned.
Payton Washington, 18, sustained severe injuries, including a shattered spleen and stomach perforations, during the incident that took place in April at an HEB parking lot.
Pedro Tello Rodriguez Jr., 25, was alleged to have attacked Washington and three other Woodlands Elite Cheer Company teammates. The victim, speaking exclusively to Good Morning America (GMA), revealed the shocking details of her ordeal
Reflecting on her injuries, Washington revealed, “My spleen was shattered, my stomach had two holes, and my diaphragm had two holes. Additionally, they had to remove a lobe from my pancreas. I had 32 staples.” Weeks after the incident, she shared photos showcasing a long line of staples running across her abdomen.
Recalling the moments leading up to the shooting, Washington admitted that she was not fully aware of what was happening as she was preoccupied with her phone. “I didn’t see him. I was looking at my phone and eating Twizzlers,” she said. When her teammate returned to the correct car, Rodriguez approached their vehicle and began shooting after she rolled down the window to apologize. Washington added, “I didn’t think it was going to be as big of a deal as it was. She just kept saying: ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’ That was the last thing that was really said.”
Amidst the chaos, Washington turned away instinctively upon hearing the first shot. She described the loud sound ringing in her ears and her immediate urge to react. The four girls managed to escape the gunfire by driving away, but Rodriguez grazed one of them and hit Washington three times in her buttocks and back. Despite her initial adrenaline rush, she noticed blood on the passenger’s seat and began to vomit blood after they pulled over, indicating that something was seriously wrong.
In critical condition, Washington was airlifted to the hospital, where her spleen had to be surgically removed. The road to recovery has been arduous, with intensive rehabilitation required. Even now, she struggles to walk and stand unaided. Washington expressed, “The hardest part was after the surgeries. It was hard… hurting to walk or stand is really weird when, a week before, you were doing a bunch of flips, running the track, and doing long jumps and all this stuff.”
Despite the traumatic experience, Washington remains resilient and determined to pursue her dreams. She is set to attend Baylor University in the fall and refuses to let the incident hinder her progress. “He did what he did, and I’m just gonna try and get through it. There’s no point in me really thinking about what he did,” she told GMA. Undeterred, she emphasizes the power of perseverance and encourages others to believe in themselves wholeheartedly.
Rodriguez, the alleged perpetrator, has been charged with a third-degree felony for deadly conduct and was released on a $100,000 bail. Washington, an exceptional student with a 5.1 GPA, defied the odds by walking the stage just five weeks after the shooting. She also plans to resume tumbling within the next two months, displaying her unwavering determination and resilience,‘according to DailyMail.
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