Exclusive: Woman shot by 3 gunmen while in parked car on Christmas 2016 speaks out
The Riverside Police Department released video of a 2016 shooting that occurred on Christmas Day showing three gunmen firing into a parked car that had two people inside.
Cassey Verrette was behind the wheel, and said she believes her car was hit 16 times by the gunfire.
"It was a fight or flight and I knew I had to go," she said. "My brake light was their green light. Once they figured I was going to get up out of there, that's when it pressed play, everyone started shooting."
Verrette was dropping a friend off near by when she saw the men approach her car. She said her friend managed to push her down as the gunfire came crashing into the car behind her. After crashing into the car behind her, she managed to drive away only to realize she'd been hit.
"You know when you open the car door and the lights come on inside, that's when I saw the blood in the cup holder, the glass everywhere."
In all, Verrette was hit three times by the gunfire.
"It came through my arm and traveled through my armpit to my chest. So, that one is still in my chest. Then I had one come in my side and that's still in my lower back, and I got hit in the elbow as well."
No one was ever arrested and Verrette admits that she can't help, but live in fear.
"That's what it took from me, that sense of safety being out in the world, especially the world we live in right now. It gets worse and worse by the day and nobody is really safe right now."
With the Riverside Police Department's release of the blurry video, which shows all three gunmen, Verrette said she has a little bit of hope.
As she learns to move forward, she said she needs closure from her past and she's hoping the pain she's felt in reliving the moment will encourage someone to come forward and help her find the men who shot her.
"They deserve to be caught. They took a lot from me. I deserve justice for sure."
Authorities released the video in hopes that anyone with information about the incident will contact the Riverside Police Department
