An Atmore, Alabama, mother, 36-year-old Yashetta McKenzie is facing attempted murder charges a week after her son was arrested on the same charge. Police say her son, 17 year old DeAndre Mitchell shot another teen leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.
According to police, McKenzie was with her son, the alleged suspect and participated in the shooting by being there. Family members in the area tell me McKenzie was the get away driver.
“I was washing my car and then I heard the 4 gunshots,” said neighbor Isom Coley.
It was last week when shots rang out on the 300th block of 4th street in Atmore.
“I looked around immediately to see what was going on so. I didn’t see nothing right there,” said Coley.
Atmore police say Mitchell shot 17-year-old Trenton Atchison leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Mitchell was arrested and charged with attempted murder.
“Maybe 20 or 30 seconds later, I see a car speeding out going that way,” he said.
Family members say, that car was driven by McKenzie. Police confirmed she was “a participant,” but not didn’t specify if she was the driver. Neighbors in the area say this is normal for the area, but not for this neighborhood and it has to stop.
“Children learn form you. I think that was a bad move on her part,”said Isom. “It kind of upsetted me because I got kids. I got a grand kid in the house.”
We spoke with the victim’s grandmother who says this past week has been rough.
“Help us. Help us Lord,” said Annice North, the victim, Atchison’s grandmother. “We just lost it. Just like something had just hit our heart and we didn’t know what to do”
She says the bullet hit her grandson Trent’s lungs and spine paralyzing him from the waist down. He was in a hospital in Pensacola following the shooting. He’s since been brought to a hospital in Birmingham to undergo extensive rehabilitation.
“He can use his arms and stuff, just can’t use his legs,” she explained.
After such a life altering injury, North says all they can do is hold on to their faith and pray not only for her grandson but for both families. “God just got him down for a minute. He’s gonna walk again,”she said. “I still ask God right today after all of our pain, still help them.”>
North tells us over the past few days,he’s made a little progress. There’s been tingling in his legs, but there’s still a long road ahead to recovery.