On a typical shopping trip, Samantha Tygrit and her children went to Walmart in Las Vegas. She had taken her 10-year-old daughter Aaliyah, 18-month-old son James, and four-year-old nephew with her on this trip.
The mother was paying for her groceries when she and her children heard the sound of gunfire. She was startled because it was broad daylight outside.
The kids were in the back of the vehicle, while the two males engaged in a gun battle and shot at each other.
Although she didn’t know where the bullets were coming from, Samantha felt a sting in her arm. She realized she had been shot in the shoulder, and the following minutes were a whirlwind of confusion and mayhem. She’s injured, but her attention was on the children.
She stated, “I pulled my 4-year-old out, threw her on the ground, and held her down, and before I had a chance to get my 10-year-old and my 18-month-old, my 10-year-old looked at me and said she’d already been shot.”
Aaliyah, 10 years old, felt an excruciating pain erupt throughout her body. She then laid eyes on the blood…
Aaliyah was shielding her younger brother when she was struck by a bullet. Aaliyah said, “I didn’t want the baby to get hurt so I like stepped in front of the babies. If I wouldn’t have stood in front of my brother, he would have been shot in the stomach.”
The mom stated, “I died inside. I just scooped her up in my arms. I’d been shot, but I just picked her up. Her little body could only shield so much. But she threw herself in front of them.”
Aaliyah is relieved that no one was more seriously injured than they were and that she was able to rescue her brother. She said, “I would rather be shot than be shot.”
If Aaliyah hadn’t been there to rescue the other children, Samantha knows that the day could’ve ended tragically. Even though she’s still a child herself, Aaliyah didn’t hesitate to help. Samantha added, “She saved her brother’s life yesterday, and my nephews because they were both there. Her little body could only shield so much. But she threw herself in front of them.”
The mother and daughter are both recovering from their injuries. The 10-year-old stated that she was simply relieved to have prevented and saved her brother’s life.
According to authorities, one of the gunmen was arrested and taken to a hospital with critical injuries. The remaining male shooter who fled the scene is still being sought by police.
Las Vegas violent crime rate is reportedly decreasing, according to law enforcement. It appears that Las Vegas has a long way to go yet with all that’s been going on. No innocent family should ever have to worry about being caught in the middle of a gun battle. There’s no reason a 10-year-old should ever be forced to put her life on the line to defend her brothers and sisters.
When presented with the opportunity to save a younger sibling’s life at the cost of their own, very few children would have enough courage to take action. If faced with such a situation, most kids aged 10 or below would either run away or cry out for assistance. This story features a young heroine who chose correctly and as a result, may have saved her brother’s life in the process.
