North Minneapolis Woman Shot By Boyfriend May Never Walk Again
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The family of a woman shot in North Minneapolis says it's possible she won't walk again. Thirty-one-year-old Kristina Williams was shot by her boyfriend, Mario Benjamin, early Friday morning.
The man was later shot and killed during a confrontation with police.
"It's trauma in the worst way," said Ron Williams.
RELATED: Friday Morning Minneapolis Shooting Victim Identified As Mario Benjamin
As his daughter remains in intensive care at North Memorial, Ron Williams is left with many questions but few answers.
"We just know they were packed up, leaving, I had just met her earlier that evening to give her gas money for the van to go to North Dakota," said Ron.
But they never left North Minneapolis. They say Kristina was shot near the 2400 block of Emerson Avenue in front of her children, by her long-time boyfriend. And doctors aren't sure when or if she'll walk again.
"It did go through her liver and her lung and then lodged into her spine. She's having complications with the lower half of her body," said Tracy Williams, Kristina's sister.
Tracy is taking care of Kristina's kids while she tries to recover.
"It's an every-day struggle throughout the day with them because they have moments where they break down. And then you have the moments where you see them smile so it's real hard for them," said Tracy.
"It keeps replaying over and over and over again, so there is a lot of trauma there," said Ron.
The family said they didn't know Kristina's boyfriend, Mario Benjamin, died after a confrontation with police until later that morning. Ron said that while he was angry with the man, his heart goes out to his family too.
"We want the family to know we are here for them and anything we can do to help them process and deal with," said Ron.
In the meantime they pray, hoping that doctors will deliver good news.
"She is fighting. This is more than non life-threatening. She may never walk again. Her kids may never play in the park again. They may never go swimming with her again," said Ron.
The shootings happened outside the family's van and all the children's clothes were inside. The van was later impounded.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover the costs of new clothes for the kids.
