84-year-old woman shot in Brooklyn while sitting in her walker
NEW YORK -- An 84-year-old woman was shot in Brooklyn on Monday night.
Althea Lawson, a cancer survivor, is recovering at the hospital after being struck by stray bullets in East Flatbush. She spoke to CBS New York on Tuesday evening.
Considering what she went through, she was in good spirits.
"Jesus saved me. He's a good guy," Lawson said.
Video shows frantic scene on Monday night
It all went down on the corner of Brooklyn and Foster avenues just before 7 p.m. Police said a gunfight left Lawson struck in the arm twice by stray bullets while she was sitting in her walker.
Lawson said she was wrapping up a visit with friends.
"When I turned to go to my house I hear this big explosion pop, pop, pop, pop, pop," she said.
A good Samaritan, along with his friend, rushed to Lawson's aid.
"He took off his shirt, give it to me, told me to apply pressure. Applied to her arm to stop the bleeding. We kept her calm. She was very strong about it. She was not even panicking," he said.
They called 911. When first responders arrived, they took Lawson into a waiting ambulance and rushed her to Kings County Hospital in stable condition. She said her left hand is in pain whenever she moves it.
"My arm is bothering me," Lawson said.
Enid Lawson, 88, who initially identified the victim as her sister, said she got a frantic phone call while she was sitting outside talking to friends.
"Somebody called and says she got shot," Enid Lawson said. "I was nervous. I wondered where she got shot?"
"Thank God for his mercy, I'm still here among this living"
The two sisters are originally from Jamaica and live together in the same apartment building.
Carine Scott, the victim's daughter, said her mother always tries to mentor youth in the neighborhood.
"If you're a bad person, she would stop and say 'Young man, don't do that. That's not right,'" Scott said. "Too many guns."
Althea Lawson said she is relieved she survived.
"Thank God for his mercy, I'm still here among this living," she said.
Police sources say a total of 14 shots were fired between two shooters, believed to be members of opposing gangs. So far, no arrests have been made.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
