DENVER, CO (WAFB) -
Bonnie Kate
Pourciau, the Baton Rouge teen shot during the mass shooting inside a Colorado
theater, said she feels both anger and compassion toward the suspected shooter.
Pourciau
may never meet James Holmes, but because of his presence in the theater, her
life is changed forever.
One of the
bullets fired that night struck her in the knee, leaving a traumatic wound. She
expressed her thoughts on the actions of the accused gunman.
"Part
of me is really angry that he would, I don't know him, but that someone would
do such a thing and take so many lives and hurt so many lives and affect so
many lives," Pourciau said. "But at the same time, I feel so much for
him and feel compassionate for him and I just hope and pray he will come to
know forgiveness and the mercy that God has and that his heart will be
changed."
She
explained how the events of that tragic night unfolded just minutes after The Dark Knight Rises had begun.
"A
little missile-looking bomb thing flew across the movie, kind of looked like a
little rocket. And, we were like, 'That's weird.' And, people started screaming
and it exploded and we were like, 'Man, that's some kind of special
effects,'" Pouciau said.
It was the
start of a detour in the evening's plans, which ended at the University of
Colorado Hospital. She described what the theater was like once the shooting
began.
"And,
there were tons of gunshots and there was smoke and people were screaming. And,
it was sort of surreal. And, I grabbed Elizabeth and pulled her down and we hid
behind our seats," Pourciau added.
Within
seconds, she was hit in her leg. In the chaos and bloodshed, she and her
friend, Elizabeth Sumrall, managed to get to safety. During the entire ordeal
they said they were able to cling to their faith, the one thing they knew to be
true.
"My
whole body was just sort of in shock and shaking and shivering. And, I was
trying not to move, but like in a daze sort of. But inside, I just felt the
strangest, most peaceful thing, like the Holy Spirit wrapped me up in his
arms," Pourciau said.
President
Barack Obama stopped by the 18-year-old's hospital room Sunday evening. He
offered words to comfort Pourciau and Sumrall. He also complimented Pourciau on
her beautiful smile and said it was encouraging to see in wake of all that has
happened.
The
massacre left 12 people dead and 58 injured. Police said Holmes planned the attack
with "calculation and deliberation."
The
shooting was the worst in the U.S. since the Nov. 5, 2009, attack at Fort Hood,
Texas. An Army psychiatrist was charged with killing 13 soldiers and civilians
and wounding more than two dozen others.
Copyright
2012 WAFB. All rights reserved.
Bonnie Kate Pourciau and her parents are very thankful she survived the tragic theater shooting in Colorado.
