Zachariah Bannister: Oklahoma boy, 8, shot in the head while looking at Christmas lights with his family
LAWTON, OKLAHOMA: An eight-year-old boy is left in critical condition after a random shooter fired at his family’s car in Oklahoma.
Zachariah Bannister, known as Zack, was looking at Christmas lights with his brother, mother, and grandmother on Sunday night, December 10, when he was hit in the head by a bullet. His brother, Waylon, kept him awake until they reached the hospital which may have saved his life.
Family was backing up to see Christmas decorations when the shooting happened
Bannister's family was looking at Christmas lights in a neighborhood and had stopped at a house to admire the decorations. Zack’s grandmother told KSWO that as his mother put the car in reverse, she saw a green laser and heard gunshots.
“His eyes were closed,” she said, adding “He was leaned over to the right side. I [saw] blood and [Zack’s brother] said that Zack was bleeding and screamed, along with myself, ‘drive mom, drive.’”
Zachariah Bannister's mother started a GoFundMe to raise money for her eight-year-old son’s recovery
Zack’s mother rushed him to the hospital while his brother kept him awake. She later started a GoFundMe page to raise money for his medical expenses and to support her family.
She wrote on the fundraiser, “I am trying to raise money for my son Zachariah (Zack)… Zack and his brother Waylon, their grandmother, and I were in a neighborhood last night looking at Christmas lights. I was backing up to a house to show my kids the Christmas decorations when someone started shooting at my car. I drove away as fast as I could."
She said that her children told her they were "okay" but Waylon then informed her that Zack was "bleeding" but not sure "from where."
She said, "I drove as fast as I could to the hospital while my oldest kept his little brother awake all the way to the hospital and they said that was the best thing he could have done."
She said Zack is currently in "ICU is doing so well I am so proud of my boys."
Asking for donations, she said, "Any help would be appreciated so I don’t have to worry about work or bills so I can be with my son…”
As of Wednesday, December 13, the fundraiser had collected over $1,000.
Jullian Phillips arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon for shooting at Zachariah Bannister
Police have arrested a man named Jullian Phillips in connection with the shooting and charged him with assault with a deadly weapon, a spokesperson for the Lawton Police Department told People.
It is unclear if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney. Police believe the shooting was random and unprovoked, and that he is unknown to the family.
Zacks's aunt, Elias Conez, told News 9 that she knew something was wrong when his mother called her and said, “Zack got shot.”
Three days before the shooting, Zack had celebrated his eighth birthday. His aunt now prays that it won’t be his last. “He’s on a ventilator, he’s got a feeding tube. And here he is, basically sedated to where he’s practically in a coma,” she said.
Police spokesperson said that Zack’s condition had stabilized as of Wednesday, December 13, but he still faces a long road to recovery. Zack's mother also posted an update stating, "He is doing amazing and I am so proud of him he has came along way in these past few days..." However he still remains in the ICU.
