Payton Washington was shot three times in April after her friend went to the wrong car, thinking it was hers.
On the night of April 18 Payton Washington, a Woodlands High School elite cheerleader in Texas, and three of her friends returned to a grocery store parking lot that they used as a carpool pick-up point three times a week.
The incident occurred just after midnight.
Payton said she was in the car texting on her phone and eating Twizzlers.
Her teammate, Heather Roth, said she went to get in a car that she thought was Payton’s, but when she opened the door, a man was in the passenger seat.
The man was later identified as Pedro Tello Rodriguez Jr., the 25-year-old gunman.
Payton said when her teammate realized she had gone to the wrong car, she ran back to her car and kept apologizing.
Pedro got out of the passenger seat of the car he was in and approached Payton’s car, but she said she honestly didn’t see him approaching her car because she was still looking at her phone.
Pedro started shooting, and the driver in Payton’s car took off.
Payton said when she realized she was shot, she was trying to stay calm for the other people in the car.
I was trying to stay as calm as possible for the other people in the car and for my body as well.
The more calm you are, your body will stay calm as well.
Payton said she was shot in her “right butt twice” and her back.
And it shot through. I only felt pain in my left ab, I was like, ‘Why is my ab sore?… We didn’t even work out that hard, like, why is it hurting?’
I was throwing up blood, and I was like, ‘Oop, that’s not normal.’
So that’s when I knew something somewhere was wrong.
Payton suffered a shattered spleen and injuries to her stomach, diaphragm, and pancreas.
She said her road to recovery was hard because it would hurt to walk or stand, and weirdly a week before, she was doing a bunch of flips, running the track, and doing the long jump.
Pedro was arrested and charged with deadly conduct, a third-degree felony.
He was released on $100k bail, but the case is active and open.
Payton said she is focused on herself and her friends that were involved, and she hasn’t thought much about what she wants to happen to Pedro.
…Right now I’m focusing on me. Me and my friends who are involved.
That’s only really people I’m worried about right now.
He did what he did, and I’m just gonna try and get through it.
There is no point in me really thinking about what he did.
…It was his fault, I mean it’s up to them to make those decisions, not me. I was just happened to be there.
Payton also said she is doing well mentally.
Surprisingly, well… I’m just like I’m going to be tumbling in July, I’m going to be fine.
…It might be a cartwheel, but I’m gonna do it.
…I’m pushing harder. I think I’m trying to be strong for everybody else.
Payton Washington is strong, and you would never know she was shot three times six weeks ago, looking at her interview.
Watch the Payton Washington interview below:
We pray that Payton Washington and her teammate fully recover and can return to cheer.
