A woman who was shot more than a half-dozen times outside a Walmart in North Texas last month is sharing her story of survival. Kyra Stubbs says she fought for her life when a gunman opened fire at point-blank range as she returned to her car in Dallas. Stubbs, a mother of three and wife, says she had been feeling better than ever leading up to the shooting.
The Incident
She had been exercising, eating well and focusing on spiritual health. She had just started a new job that required travel. “Life was great,” she said.
Stubbs went to Walmart on Forest Lane near Interstate 635 on the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 19. As she returned to her car, she said she was approached by a man in the parking lot.
“I pushed the cart thinking that he wanted my purse because I thought he was there to rob me, and as soon as I pushed the cart, he pointed the gun toward me and started shooting,” she said.
She said her instinct was to grab the gun, but each time she did, the shooter fired another round. “That’s how I got so many gunshots in my right arm,” Stubbs said.
The Shooter
She ran across the parking lot, careful not to turn her back on the gunman. She collapsed between two cars and began to pray.
“Then I said, ‘God, I trust you,’ and right in that moment when I said ‘I trust you,’ he shot that last shot in my right buttock and then he walked away,” she said. She said a sense of calm came over her.
The Aftermath
She asked a bystander to apply a tourniquet to her arm before paramedics arrived. She was shot seven times total, including four rounds to her right arm.
“It’s heartbreaking. She’s a great mother, great wife,” said Cole McNiel, Stubbs’s attorney. McNiel said the shooting could have been prevented and pointed to Walmart for what he called a lack of sufficient security.
The Response
“It’s a high-crime area, so they have to put up safeguards to make sure that things like this don’t happen, that there aren’t individuals with guns in their parking lot,” he said. In a statement, Walmart said: “The safety and security of our associates is a top priority… This store does have a parking lot patrol outside and a uniformed police officer on-site, open to close. Parking lot patrol has been initiated since 2021.”
Recovery
Stubbs said she continues to deal with pain caused by nerve damage, fractured bones and internal injuries. Doctors estimate her recovery will take about a year.
“God is good, and I’m thankful. Every day I’m thankful that I’m still here,” she said.
GoFundMe
Stubbs says she hasn’t been able to start her new job and is unable to do much without assistance. A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Stubbs cover living expenses while she recovers.
Security Concerns
Stubbs says the shooter was a stranger. “I didn’t know him, and I want people to understand that it is possible for someone to not know you and still want to harm you,” she said.
This highlights the need for improved security measures.
Takeaways
Key takeaways: • Kyra Stubbs was shot seven times, including four in her right arm; Walmart maintains a parking lot patrol and uniformed police presence; a GoFundMe campaign supports her recovery.
Her story underscores the urgent need for stronger safety protocols.
Her survival and ongoing recovery highlight the importance of community support and corporate responsibility.
Closing
Kyra Stubbs’s experience serves as a stark reminder that gun violence can strike anyone, anywhere, and that vigilance and preparedness are essential.
Her determination to survive, combined with the support of her attorney, Walmart, and the community, offers a glimmer of hope amid a painful ordeal. As she continues her recovery, her story remains a call to action for safer public spaces.
