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Woman Shot 7 Times By Relative; Survives
posted (January 2, 2014)
On New Year's Eve, we reported that there had been 99 murders for 2013 - that's bad enough and it almost went up to 100 before the New Year came in. That's because 19 year old Tajah Staine was shot up by a man she claims is her own cousin. She was shot 7 times at close range, yet somehow she survived. She's in critical condition tonight, but her mother told me about the terrifying shooting which she witnessed. Here's the story:

Monica Bodden reporting
Across the street from her home, that's where 19 year old Tajah Staine fell to the ground as the trigger man stood over her and then opened fire at least 6 more times.

The young woman was shot a total of 7 times - to the chest area, left shoulder and left leg.

It happened on Gladden Street off La Croix Boulevard on New Year's Eve night.

Her mother Jermaine Thompson stood at her window the entire time looking on, unaware that it was her daughter.

Jermaine Thompson - Mother of Shooting Victim
"I had sent my daughter to buy soap powder to wash up the dishes while I was in the kitchen cooking. She went and came back because she had forgotten what she was supposed to buy because she was on the phone. She came back to ask me and then she went. A little bit after, I heard the bursting of dynamite because the kids were outside bursting dynamite. I didn't pay it any mind, but then it sounded so close, I peep through my window and saw a young man known to me as "bigga" shooting someone in my yard. I said oh my God, who do him something? Who did he have problems with not knowing that it was my daughter down there."

Monica Bodden
"The person was over your daughter firing shots?"

Jermaine Thompson - Mother of Shooting Victim
[Nodded]"I just kept the window tilt. I saw him put the gun back in his waist and then he went back this way. I didn't know what really had transpired, I lowered the window and went back inside when I heard my neighbors yelling Ms. Jermaine, it is Tajah that they shot. I froze because so many shots that person got, I said my God that person is dead."

While on the ground fighting for her life, Tajah Staine did identify her gunman who is a cousin of hers.

Jermaine Thompson - Mother of Shooting Victim
"The thing about it was that she got shot and was conscious. She said 'mommy, it was "bigga" that shot me.' My neighbor came to help her and she told him that it was "bigga" that shot her. Everyone she was telling who shot her and I saw him and I couldn't believe it. He is her cousin. How could he have done that? What could possibly transpire for him to want to execute her?"

"All of this stems from one of his other cousins who wanted to have a gang or want to be known to be a gang leader; hired a lot of little children who are not in school. All of them are line up there on La Croix Street not having anything to do. All what they do all day is smoke weed, smoke weed and get high because that's all he can give the children because he doesn't have anything for himself to give to the children and got them to do his dirty work."

"The whole problem was that he has a problem with the little boy on the back street who is my daughter friend. She and the little boy are childhood friends. If he has a problem with him, then go and deal with him. You don't have to come and deal with a female. He is a punk. I saved his life once when a boy came and stabbed him here. I saved his life, for him to turn around and orchestrate a hit against my child. All hell he will pay, God will deal with it. He will get deal with and I will deal with it to the full extent of the law. All of them are cousins, I don't care. I am not scared nor am I intimidated; I will deal with them! This is bullshit, this is enough; they will not come here and terrorize me. I was born and grew up here."

Today, Staine is in a critical but stable condition at the KHMH.

Jermaine Thompson - Mother of Shooting Victim
"I don't even want to go back to that spot. For any parent it's a horrible feeling because for me I thought that she was dead. I was so shock to see her lean up her head and she said mom, I can't breathe. The only thing I could tell her is to don't cry and don't get all panicky because I see the blood gushing all through her neck. I told her to think about her baby sister because she loves her. I told her to think about living for her baby sister. When the police came they took her because the ambulance took a while to reach. But thank God she is alive and for everyone that helped."

Police have detained a known suspect and late reports say that person has been charged. If he is arraigned tomorrow, we'll have his picture and additional details.

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