GLENDALE, AZ — One of three victims recalls the night he was shot twice at Westgate Entertainment District in May.
Alfredo Jaime, 19, was shot in the back and again in the chest on May 20 by Armando Hernandez Jr.
Jaime was sitting outside Johnny Rockets with his girlfriend Destiny, when Hernandez began opening fire with an AR-15 rifle at Westgate that evening.
"I had heard gunshots and I was just thinking it was fireworks," said Jaime. Destiny was shot in the right leg. Jaime was then shot in the back, and in the chest.
"I turned around and that’s when the second bullet hits me," recalls Jaime. "It started stinging at first, then after a while, I tried taking a step and blood just started pouring out and it just started burning and then I fell onto the ground."
Hernandez says he was bullied and performed the shooting to gain respect. He also admitted that he planned on injuring ten people.
"Terrified," said Jaime about laying helpless on the ground after being shot. "I was thinking he was going to like come up to us and finish us right there and then."
Jaime was taken to the hospital in critical condition. He said he was in a coma for two and a half days suffering multiple injuries including a punctured lung.
"They weren’t sure if I was gonna wake up, [they said] 'this could be his time here.'"
Jaime said he doesn't think about that night often, but is left with many scars including two bullet entry wounds, one exit wound, and scars from treatment at the hospital.
When asked what he would say to the shooter if he saw him today, Jaime said that there wouldn't be a lot of talking.
"I probably wouldn’t be talking much. My actions would speak for it more than my words to be honest," said Jaime, who was then asked to elaborate. "I would probably tackle him down you know probably like beat him up. Let him feel the pain that I felt."
There were three victims total that night at the hands of Hernandez, 20, who is facing 41 charges including aggravated assault and attempted murder.
The other victim, a 30-year-old woman, was shot but didn't require hospitalization.
Jaime and Destiny are still recovering. Jaime was in the hospital for three weeks, and still goes to physical therapy regularly. He said it took two months for the strength in his shoulder and chest to reach 50 percent and is working on the next 30 percent.
