It happened last Thursday morning near Lyndale and Lake near Uptown Minneapolis. Police say there was a shootout leaving seven people injured, including 18-year old Mykia Carpenter.
Carpenter was just leaving work at Side Chick, a southern-style restaurant on Lake and Lyndale, when the shots rang out.
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“She walks out and waiting for her Uber to come get her and then she was just caught in the crossfire,” says Carpenter’s Cousin Amanda Morris.
Morris manages the bar and restaurant where Carpenter worked.
“Me and my sister, and the owner, and one of my other bartenders are the ones that got Mykia to the hospital that night,” Morris explains. “So it's been, it's kind of weird. So today, to be here going through the motions right now, it's the first time the restaurant has reopened since the shooting.
Morris tells WCCO that Mykia Carpenter is awake at the hospital and does understand what happened to her.
“She got hit on her neck that came in and came out and it actually damaged her trachea and her vocal cords,” says Morris. “So right now she won't be able to talk. But God has the last word for everything. So whatever the doctors are saying, we're very optimistic about what can happen.
And Mykia is very, very strong.”
Morris says they've been holding vigils at the hospital for days.
“We’ve been at the hospital ever since, ever since that night,” Morris said. We've been sleeping at the hospital, getting hotel rooms down there. I want to be as close as we can to her.”
They decided to hold an all-day fundraiser with all of the proceeds going to help Mykia recover. Some of the first to arrive at the restaurant were her teachers and counselors at North High School.
Patience Dolo is the 9th grade counselor at North High and explains why they school community is there to support Carpenter.
“Just a beautiful soul, very full of life,” Dolo says. “Everybody loves her. Everybody knows her in the school, a very strong presence, a leader all around. Just amazing girl. So we're just hoping for the best for her. We're here to support her. We want everybody to be here and donate because she is someone who is so deserving.”
Carpenter was supposed to have had a party Friday sending her off to nursing school in Chicago when she was shot.
The 18-year old underwent a nine hour surgery and doctors are not sure yet if her voice will ever come back. She is communicating now, at least through writing.
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