SPRING, TX (KTRK/CNN) – A young father took several bullets shielding his 3-year-old when their vehicle was targeted in a drive-by shooting early Saturday.
Darius Shyne, his girlfriend, Erika, and their 3-year-old daughter stopped by a club in Houston early Saturday morning, so Erika could see her brother perform in a rap battle.
The father and daughter stayed in the car.
When Erika walked out a few minutes later to return to the vehicle, it was involved in what appears to be a random drive-by shooting.
“Someone rolled their back window seat down in a dark blue, dark black car and just started letting out gunshots,” the woman said.
Erika says she hit the ground, and when the gunfire was over, she called out to her boyfriend.
Shyne had been shot, taking two bullets to both sides of his arm and one to his chest, Erika says, but his daughter was unharmed because her father put himself in the line of fire to protect her.
Erika says her boyfriend shielded the little girl as she sat in her car seat.
“His injuries are critical. He’s got some damage to his lungs, not able to move his lower body, and he’s in a lot of pain,” Erika said.
Shyne’s family says one of his lungs is collapsed, and his spinal cord was nicked by a bullet.
Gun violence is to blame for the situation, says Chris Smith, Shyne’s stepdad.
"Unfortunately, it's all too common… but something really needs to be done as a whole, everybody,” Smith said.
The shooters are still at large.
Erika says their daughter gave a statement to police. She is certain someone knows who was involved in the shooting and urged them to turn over information to police.
“Justice will not be served. These things will continue to happen unless we nip it in the bud and fix the issue,” Erika said.
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